COLUMBUS, Ind. — 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.
For the complete story, see Thursday’s Republic.
