about the project
The landscape design for Aggie Square aims to create a campus landscape that celebrates and contributes to Sacramento’s impressive tree canopy. The establishment of a robust tree canopy provides both economic and ecological benefits for Aggie Square, including reducing heat island effects through the provision of shade and the creation of microclimates. With a large enough canopy, a robust tree population will reduce air pollution through bioaccumulation and the production of oxygen from carbon dioxide gas. The landscape at Aggie Square will feel inherently connected to Sacramento, stitching together the urban fabric of the surrounding neighborhoods such as Oak Park, Tahoe Park, East Sacramento and the Medical Center, with the rest of the City of Sacramento.
The design recognizes the site’s long history of innovation with the State Fairgrounds. Aggie Square, with its signature bosque, will become the center stage for various programming and community events to unfold. The flexibility of the design, facilitated by the continuous carpet of paving and open sight lines across the space, welcomes the creative and innovative use of space that readily adapts to future programming needs and echoes the important contextual history. The diverse landscape of Aggie Square, characterized by a series of “urban rooms” will create an exciting and varied experience for future students, tenants, visitors and community members – an attractive social hub for the future research and scientific community at Aggie Square and the UC Davis Medical Center. Anchor tenant, Alice Waters Institute for Edible Education, will bring together experts from across disciplines such as education, health care, agriculture, policy and business to create new solutions for healthy, sustainable and equitable food systems.
