Tooele Tech.
The Tooele Technical College campus is reshaping the minds of local residents. As the first of many educational facilities in Utah State University’s 50 year regional campus master plan, Tooele Tech has provided the precedent for future buildings and landscapes in the area.
How a beautiful college campus attracts and retains students and faculty.
Reversing perceptions.
Tooele County (a name often traced to the Goshute word for “bear”, though the origin is still argued) is mostly covered by the Great Salt Lake Desert and is among the driest counties in the state. In modern times, the county has a history of toxic waste disposal and chemical and biological weapon testing that has contributed to a general perception of the county as a sacrifice zone for unwanted wastes.
The Utah State University regional campus in Tooele lies where the desert meets the mountains. It has the potential to educate the public and demonstrate the value of the native landscape. As the first of many campus projects, Tooele Tech set a new standard for thoughtful design, re-shaping perceptions of the land and ensuring that better practices endure.
Loft Six Four was asked to be extra sensitive to water efficiency and native plant ecology. Our design seamlessly brought these elements together in ways that were creative, playful, and engaging to students, faculty, and the community at large.
The landscape design reflects existing native vegetation that is located beyond the site boundaries, while providing framed moments of unobstructed views of the mountains. The unparalleled beauty of the regional campus makes the choice to stay in the valley for education more attractive to prospective students.
We chose to work with Loft Six Four primarily because they are great collaborators and specialize in contextual and creative design. They ask the right client and design team member questions to develop creative solutions. They are process driven and pull others into their process.
Marketable sustainability.
Loft Six Four interfaced continually and closely with the architect and project stakeholders to ensure the building and site programming requirements were successfully integrated and reflected in the sequencing of site landscape and outdoor amenity spaces. The result was a space that students, faculty, and the community could appreciate and enjoy.
At Loft Six Four, we practice sustainable landscape design, with an emphasis on marketability. We believe that unless the people love the space and endow it with cultural significance, any sustainable technology we use doesn’t matter.
We strive to design outdoor experiences that will endure and have lasting impact. Once there is a compelling design in place, we make sure best practices are employed to protect and enhance the environment.
Elevated experience, elevated reputation.
The Utah ASLA Merit Award winning technical college campus features high sustainability within the greater context of the community. LEED Silver certified, the landscape saves more than 4 million gallons of water per year and uses four fifths less water than comparable institutional buildings in the neighborhood. A striking 80% of the landscape area has been preserved for low water use native grass meadow.
The design connects indoor programs harmoniously with the outdoor green spaces. This provides students with access to nature and facilitates better learning experiences.
With opportunities to relax, exercise, and socialize, the outdoor campus spaces have elevated both the experience for students and the reputation of the educational institution.
