LSG Landscape Architecture led the design of the Ramp and Landscape Improvements at Yates Field House, transforming a challenging slope into an accessible and engaging campus destination. The project reimagines a steep grade change as more than a circulation problem—it becomes an opportunity for layered outdoor experiences that blend accessibility, recreation, and social life.
A meandering accessible walkway connects West Road with Yates Field House and Cooper Field, weaving at-grade and elevated segments to ensure full ADA compliance while creating moments of discovery along the way. Seating terraces and plaza landings punctuate the route, offering spaces to rest, gather, and take in sightlines to the athletic fields below.
To activate the hillside, the design layers in playful and restorative elements—an embankment slide, rock scramble, and outdoor fitness equipment—alongside quieter destinations like a meditation garden and sensory plantings. Together, these program areas turn simple circulation into a campus experience that supports both active recreation and contemplative retreat.
Planting design shapes much of the hillside's character. Native trees and understory plantings provide shade, seasonal interest, and stormwater benefits, while bioretention strengthens ecological resilience. A low-maintenance planting strategy ensures long-term viability and echoes the natural character of the Georgetown campus.
The result is a multi-layered landscape that balances accessibility, activity, and ecology—turning a once-utilitarian slope into a place of connection, movement, and community for Georgetown students and visitors.
