East Carolina University’s The Galley at Jones Residence Hall acts as a small student union for the College Hill residential district. The building was in need of expansion to meet growing demands and trends. We studied the existing outdoor spaces to develop a needs analysis to ensure the future spaces are vibrant, flexible, and sociable. In addition, we utilized comments from a student survey and studied precedents to create an evidence-based-design for the future urban campus space. Strategic “design interventions” were recommended including re-grading the plaza to improve accessibility, providing access through existing walls to improve circulation and incorporating seat walls for special events to increase the plaza’s flexibility.
An underground sand filter was incorporated to effectively treat stormwater in this small space with a high water table. The design also included enhanced lighting to increase evening use and night-time safety.