University of Arkansas – Fort Smith Donald W. Reynolds Campus Green & Belltower

Overview

“The college administration wished to change the perception of the college from one equated with the thirteenth grade to that of an institution of higher education.”

MAHG was asked to create a new image for UAFS which would communicate the institution’s purpose and create a presence within the community. UAFS had developed linearly from one building located on the county poor farm to a string of buildings and adjacent parking lots. It was a drive-in/drive-out educational experience with little opportunity for interaction on campus.

MAHG recognized that what UAFS lacked was a sense of tradition and history that was associated with larger four-year institutions. The solution centers around a campus green, which has its focal point, a 108 foot tall belltower. The belltower is located on a raised plaza designed as a stage for the quadrangle. The plaza is flanked by a pair of fountains which lend sound and movement to the space. A formal entrance to the campus is located at the south end of the quadrangle, where a pair of gates mark the symbolic entry to learning.