What was once a forgotten passageway has been re-imagined into a key public space that exhibits Purdue University’s tradition as a modern and vibrant campus. The Mackey Arena Plaza Vision Plan outlines opportunities to enliven an iconic area for current and prospective students and student athletes, Boilermaker fans and staff.
To make the space more inviting and comfortable on a daily basis, the new design of the plaza reduces the amount of hardscape and increases the tree canopy to create more shade and scale. We also envisioned more options for gathering and respite with community tables, café seating, lounging bleachers, or urban swings.
We also considered times when the plaza would be occupied by larger masses of people such as game day at Ross Ade Stadium or Mackey Arena. The new plaza is designed specifically to accommodate additional programming including vendor or organizational tents and exhibits, sports and youth-oriented inflatable exhibits, food trucks, and small performances by students or local musicians.
The Mackey Arena Plaza provides these new experiences while simultaneously honoring several existing landmarks and minimizing alterations to the daily operations of adjacent facilities.