Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN) of Seattle will be the landscape design partner working with campus leaders revamping the look of the Columbus Airpark campus.
The firm was one of four seeking the project, selected by a group of community and project stakeholders Wednesday. Also announced was and update that the Cummins Foundation will provide an architecture fund grant for the “design framework” for the campus and a detailed design for its southwest corner.
GGN is scheduled to begin work early this summer with the Airpark campus guiding team, which is comprised of campus and community partners. Founding partner Shannon Nichol will lead the firm’s work with campus partners and stakeholders.
Nichol said in an official statement that the firm is honored to be chosen for the project.
“This project presents an exciting opportunity to have a fresh look at the tradition of college-campus landscape planning and design, through the unique lens of Columbus’ collaborative and locally-grounded approach,” she said. “We look forward to co-developing an AirPark campus framework that will come alive with the diverse stories, vibrant partnerships, hands-on learning experiences, and natural beauty that already make Columbus a great place to live, work, and learn.”
The project’s aim is for GGN to create a campus-wide “landscape design framework” that partners can use over the next several decades and also create a detailed design for the southwest corner of the Airpark campus as the new Ivy Tech classroom building is constructed.
“Because of the Ivy Tech project, there will be the opportunity to design a new entrance to the southwest portion of the campus, while considering important access points for both the new Ivy Tech building, and the southern entrance to the Columbus Learning Center,” coalition officials said.
GGN was one of four firms recommended by the Cummins Foundation’s architecture program for this project. The others were Reed Hilderbrand of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Merritt Chase of Indianapolis; and Studio Zewde of Harlem, New York.
As part of the selection process, each firm gave a virtual presentation to community members and project partners in late April, presenting ideas for the campus and fielding questions about their vision for the project. Audience members were later sent a feedback form to share any comments they might have.
Some of the ideas shared by Nichol at that time included utilizing a grid system to guide the creation of intuitive and safe crossings; using a “green edge” to create both a boundary and an amenity for the campus and surrounding neighborhoods; and activating spaces for campus and community programs.
Education Coalition President and CEO John Burnett said that GGN was selected by the campus leaders with input from the entire campus stakeholder team and the “broader community” who attended the presentations.
Coalition officials said some of GGN’s strong points included their skilled team, “great experience gathering stakeholder input” and desire to meet the needs of different student groups.
Joe Fuehne, director and associate professor of MET, Purdue Polytechnic Columbus, also noted that the firm “has demonstrated excellence in partnering with other universities around the country.”
Coalition officials said that all four firms submitted outstanding proposals. The quality of submissions, along with the process of seeking stakeholder input, was a factor in the length of time it took to make a final selection.
“We are so very fortunate, as a committee, for Cummins to present us with a list of four extremely talented and successful landscape design firms from which to choose a partner,” Burnett said. Campus leaders likewise thanked Cummins for their contribution to the project.
The Cummins Architecture Fund has also provided support for other campus projects in the past, including the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence and the new Ivy Tech building, which is set to open in the summer of 2022.
“Cummins has a longstanding commitment to community prosperity,” said Mary Chandler, Cummins vice president of corporate responsibility and community relations in an official statement. “This project is one of many that have helped establish Columbus, Indiana as a global architecture and design destination. We are even more pleased that this project also supports educational attainment and the top-notch work of the Community Education Coalition.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About the project” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The project’s aim is for GGN to create a campus wide “landscape design framework” that partners can use over the next several decades, as well as a detailed design for the southwest corner of the airpark campus.
The landscape design project was partially spurred by the construction of the new Ivy Tech building, which will replace Poling Hall and is set to open in the summer of 2022.
Partners on the airpark campus landscape design project include (but are not limited to) Ivy Tech Columbus, IUPUC, Purdue Polytechnic Columbus, the City of Columbus, Columbus Municipal Airport and the Community Education Coalition.
There is also a project guiding team, a campus coordinating and selection input team, and a large community stakeholder advisory group.
The Cummins Foundation will provide a grant for the design framework for the campus and a detailed design for the southwest corner.
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”About GGN” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Gustafson Guthrie Nichol was founded in 1999 by Jennifer Guthrie, Shannon Nichol and Kathryn Gustafson, the release stated. The landscape architecture firm, based in Seattle, is internationally recognized.
GGN’s employees have backgrounds in not only landscape design and architecture, but also restoration ecology, social studies, engineering and art.
According to its website, the firm’s work has included acting as landscape architect on the following projects:
- The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
- The United States Embassy in Ankara, Turkey
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Campus in Seattle
The firm has also been involved in other master plans and campus projects.
More information is available at ggnltd.com.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
