2025 Design & Master Plan - South Dakota State University

section 9 – general landscape design principles
The campus landscape should be viewed as a functional component that
performs just as a building or structure. Decisions related to the campus
landscape need to be considered both in relation to a specific site and to how
it relates to the campus landscape as a whole.
In general, the campus landscape should:
• Work with the footprint of the campus buildings to create spaces and direct
views; not to be designed as an afterthought or solely as decoration;
• Match plantings to the scale of buildings and design to complement
architectural features;
• Focus higher maintenance landscape plantings at areas of high visibility
(building entrances, campus signage, major pedestrian nodes);
• Provide a dynamic landscape with multiseasonal interest and emphasis on
fall color, winter forms, and early spring flowers;
• Be sustainable and lasting over time; and
• Be conscious of safety and maintenance.
Plant diversity within plant beds is encouraged but similar plant types should
be grouped in mass to provide a greater visual impact, simplify maintenance,
and to fit a “university scale” (Example: Consider planting groups of similar
plants in quantities of 20s and 30s versus twos and threes).
figure 9.1: example – mixed perennial planting in mass
As an added consideration, take care to include plant species of exceptional
interest in the fall, winter, and early spring seasons. These are the seasons
in which school is in session, and the times when landscape plants will be
prevalently viewed. As these seasons are primarily times when deciduous
plants are leafless, plan accordingly to integrate adequate numbers of
evergreen plants and ornamental grasses to pique winter interest.
Not only should the greater design principles that are listed above play a role
in the design of the landscape, but the particulars of a specific site should
weigh greatly on plant selection. How much sun does the site receive? How
much moisture will the site receive? What is the soil quality and depth? Will
snow melt products be used nearby? These details should all play a part in
plant selection and will have an effect on the overall landscape success.
figure 9.2: plantings at building entries
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