As the University of Maryland, Baltimore County continues to make improvements to their campus, Unilock has been able to provide paving solutions for their exterior investments. The multiphase enhancements of UMBC extend to different parts of the campus, including the reimaging of the front entrance and the creation of a new Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building.

A Reimagined Campus Entrance

The goal for the campus front entrance project was to create a safe and elegant welcome area with a highly functional and memorable design. The design includes the development of pedestrian paths, a plaza, and vehicular approaches to provide a point of orientation and a distinctive gateway to the campus. The multi-functional plaza and pathways were paved with Unilock EnduraColor finish pavers, which provide the aesthetic beauty, long-term performance and durability required for this high-traffic space. Unique details of this project, like the engraved paving stones that say “Hello!” in the many languages of the UMBC campus, make this design beautifully distinct.

Grove Plaza at the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building

The new Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building is located in the center of the UMBC campus, replacing the previous Academic Services Building. Central to the ILSB building is a plaza that serves as an outdoor social and academic space, immersing faculty and students in nature with the preservation of two mature oak trees, lushly planted micro-bioretention gardens and preserved woodlands adjacent to the site. Named ‘Grove Plaza’, this project creates linkages between several important sites on campus with integrated paved pathways. Students make their way through the plaza from commuter parking lots and a vehicular drop-off area, while walkways promote ease of navigation for pedestrian traffic from on-campus housing. The sinuous paving design, created by Mahan Rykiel Associates Inc, utilizes Unilock Series and Smooth Premier finish pavers to guide pedestrian circulation through the site in a motion that aims to connect minds with the ecological processes of water. The Series and Smooth Premier finish pavers feature EnduraColor™ FaceMix technology for increased durability and wear-resistance, ensuring this project will stand the test of time. Meanwhile, the natural color palette of the pavers beautifully complements the green elements of the landscape design, as well as the surrounding campus architecture.