BOOKSTORE PLAZA | University of Delaware

With the University of Delaware’s expansion to the northeast, the connection between the University and the city of Newark has never been more apparent, and more contentious. With the development of a new campus bookstore and University Development Office facilities, the University and its architects recognized the need to connect to a thriving commercial corridor, linking the University to Main Street. The development of a social core that serves both resident and student communities was seen as instrumental to the success of the project and offers a welcoming gesture to the community.

Studio Bryan Hanes was selected to develop the linkage and invent a new iconic space within the University of Delaware campus. The plaza has become an all-hours destination for students and residents of the City of Newark with rich programmatic opportunities and evocative design. The design, focused on the unique culture of the University and its community, aims to attract a diverse population to regularly inhabit the plaza and become the nexus of social interaction between multiple communities.

Location: Newark, DE

Awards: PA/DE ASLA Merit Award

Architecture: DIGSAU

Photography: Halkin Mason Photography