As part of their strategic planning, Lansing Community College (LCC) asked Elements Studio to develop a detailed Campus Wide Landscape Master Plan to give the college a clear path forward for the stewardship of their outdoor space. In order to make relevant and appropriate recommendations, we first visited LCC’s Downtown, West and Mason Aviation Campuses. We conducted an inventory and analysis of the existing conditions on each campus, looking for opportunities to achieve LCC’s goals of:
- Simplifying maintenance
- Ensuring the longevity of plantings
- Creating a welcoming first impression
- Providing shade and reducing glare
- Improving views
- Increasing habitat for pollinators
- Reducing atmospheric carbon
- Improving the water quality of runoff
In the Landscape Master Plan document, we defined sections of each campus based on areas that need to be treated holistically. For each section of each campus we discussed the focal points, art sculptures, people spaces and other noteworthy features. Then we proposed specific design and maintenance recommendations for each section. We cataloged the existing tree canopy at each campus and made recommendations about existing tree health and species diversity. Finally, we concluded the document with design and maintenance standards. The design standards establish consistency and quality in LCC’s outdoor environment. The maintenance standards ensure that the landscape at each campus remains vibrant and healthy over time. A PDF sample of the 124 page document is included below.