CASE STUDY ON

BY:
SUMIT MITTAL
RITIKA SINGH
VAIBHAV BHASIN
Public plazas transform underutilized areas
of roadway into public spaces for
surrounding residents and businesses.
Using low-cost materials, such as gravel,
movable planters, and flexible seating,
public plazas reconfigure and revitalize
intersections that might otherwise be unsafe
or underutilized. Public plazas are the result
of a successful partnership between the city
and a neighbourhood group or business
association.
Designer
Andropogon Associates, Ltd.
Land Use
Retrofit
Institutional
Project Type
School/University
Courtyard/Plaza
Location
S 10th Street & Locust Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19107
Size
1.6 acres
Budget
$60 million - Total project;
$1.6 million - Landscape
architecture
Completion Date
2006
Thomas Jefferson University campus in center city
Philadelphia by providing a new "heart of campus"
where two above-ground parking garages once
stood.
The new plaza, built above a 215-space parking
garage, was designed to accommodate academic
events and ceremonies and to serve as a shared
space for the surrounding neighbourhood.
Total site acreage is 1.6 acres (69,560 sq. ft., not
including the building), with 1.4acres (60,984 sq.
ft., not including sidewalks) devoted to open
space. 50 percent of the open space is green and
50 percent is hardscape (paving).

The plaza is designed to
accommodate academic
events and ceremonies,
as well as be inviting to
the urban community with
its public art and diverse,
sunny and shaded seating
areas.
The elliptical forms
radiating from the center
make this space feel
expansive despite being
confined by tall buildings,
and the openness of the
design makes the plaza
feel welcoming and
secure.
No physical boundaries around the plaza and
green so that the center of Jeffersons campus
opens out into the community; the beginning of a
new campus plan which includes a sustainable,
multifunctional urban design with a community-
friendly approach.
Creates a safe, welcoming, versatile, active, and
accessible environment.
Hardscape can be used to host Jefferson and
community functions. The green can be used for
more casual events and congregating.
Large and small spaces have been integrated for
planned and chance urban gatherings.

m m
Underground parking
Plaza open to the community
Evapotranspiration (sum of
evaporation and plant transportation
from surface to atmosphere) further
reduces storm water volume with over
55 canopy trees and nearly one acre
of lawn.
The cistern is approximately 12 ft x
159 ft and runs parallel to the
sidewalk avoiding utilities and trees,
with several 'cut outs' to avoid root
conflicts.
Capacity to store and re-use 17,700
gallons of storm water and air
conditioner condensate for irrigation.
Engineered soils to hold up to 11,500
gallons of water per each percent of
organic matter at 12 inch depth.
Stones in a regular form are arranged
radically as well as parallel in the
plaza which are placed to provide
sitting facility.

Sustainable features:
Rain water down
A. C. Condensation
159 ft
12 ft
Underground cistern
(17,700 gallons)
Irrigation system
Basement parking

Landscape integrated storm water management system reduces storm
water volume and delays peak flow discharge through storage and re-
use for irrigation; contributes to the elimination of combined sewer
overflow discharge to the Delaware River.
A total of 72 trees (54 canopy and 18 ornamental), will sprawl across
the plaza and green. No trees will obscure views across the site.
The 19 species of trees are all deciduous, locally grown, and native to
the northeast. They are: Bur Oak- 70-80 high, White Oak- 100 tall,
Swamp White Oak, Willow Oak, London Plane Tree, Scarlett Oak,
Hickory, Red Maple, Tulip Tree, American Basswood, White/Green Ash,
Flowering Dogwood, Red Bud, Fringe Tree, Sassafras, Allegheny
Serviceberry, Southern Magnolia, Sweet Bay Magnolia, and Witch
Hazel.
Three species of shrubs will dot the landscape including Elderberry,
Viburnum, and Sweetpepper bush. Numerous other perennials and
groundcover shade plants will add to the scope of the environment.

Eight species of herbaceous plants, numbering 735 ground cover
plugs and container grown vegetation, all rooted in historic health
remedies, will enhance the liveliness of the urban, open space while
reflecting the integration of the Jefferson campus with the community.
Medicinal plants include: Black Cohosh, Blood Root, Blue Vervain,
Boneset, Solomons Seal, Yarrow, Narrow-leaved Cone Flower, and
Wild Ginger
Drainage should be considered in the design of the plaza. Sites should
have minimal cross slope or be designed using edge treatments that
mitigate the overall slope.
Corners and other areas of a plaza subject to encroachment by errant
or turning vehicles should be reinforced using heavy objects and
bollards that alert drivers of the new curb line.
Adequate lighting should be provided at plazas at all times of day.
Parking shall not be allowed or permitted within the public plaza.
Parking may be maintained adjacent or parallel to the plaza, but
should be designed along the footprint of the future capital
implementation.
Public plazas shall be constructed with ADA-compliant tactile warning
strips at the crosswalks. Extra attention should be paid to how sight-
impaired individuals will navigate these spaces.
Stripe a double white line along the edge of the plaza to legally prohibit
vehicles from entering the space.


Bur- oak
white- oak
Swamp white- oak
Scarlet oak
London plane
tree
Willow oak
hickory
Red maple
tulip
American basswood
White ash Flowering dogwood
sassafras
Red bud
Fringe tree
Sweet bay magnolia
Southern magnolia
Allegheny serrvice
berry
Red bud
viburnum
elderberry Sweet pepper
BUSHES
blood root
boneset
Black cohosh
Blue vervain
Solomons seal
HERBS
yerrow
Narrow- leaved cone
flower
Wild ginger


www.Jefferson.edu/Hamilton
https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Thomas+Jefferson+University/@39.94822
79,-
75.1579239,193m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!1m2!2m1!1sThomas+Jefferson+Univers
ity+Lubert+Plaza!3m1!1s0x89c6c6288ff2d6e9:0x79509e5b8f9d6833

http://www.folaweb.com/images/tju%20plaza.png

http://planphilly.com/uploads/media_items/http-planphilly-com-sites-planphilly-
com-files-dsc_1574-jpg.480.322.s.jpg

http://aslathedirt.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/sidwellwetlands.jpg?w=500

http://www.andropogon.com/assets/Projects/Academic/Thomas-Jefferson-
University-Plaza/Thomas-Jefferson-University09.jpg