Primera is pleased to announce that our Crerar Science Quadrangle project for The University of Chicago was recently featured in Landscape Architecture Magazine. Primera served as the Project Manager and Lighting Designer for this project, which redeveloped an open campus space that was leftover from a 1980s-era project. The existing pass-through at the University’s Hyde Park campus never had a true design or distinguishable feature and needed a center focus that would create a gathering space and sense of purpose. Together with the school, Primera and the team landed on a custom light feature providing illumination, drama, and inspiration.

Primera’s work included the relocation of existing pathway lights, new lighting design for the custom ring structure plaza, power distribution for lighting, charging stations, and convenience power. The lighting design included detail-oriented coordination of custom fixtures with a custom-built signature structure. Because of the large amount of front-end planning between designers, engineers, and manufacturers, the installation of the structure was quick and seamless. The project also embraced the entire landscape of the University’s architectural environment with its pure geometry. The unique centerpiece serves as illuminated art that has become the focus of the quad. The circles are a repeating design element reflected in the tree placement and adjacent landscaping as well.

The final design addressed all challenges and resulted in a stunningly illuminated outdoor landscape. A point of contemporary design amongst historic buildings, it is a space that sparks curiosity from students, and evokes contemplation of the heavens. To read the complete article please click here.

Founded in 1910, Landscape Architecture Magazine is the monthly magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects. It is the magazine of record for the landscape architecture profession in North America, reaching more than 60,000 readers who plan and design projects valued at more than $140 billion each year.