When Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) decided to improve how vehicles and people move through the center of the 117-acre campus, Woolpert was contracted to handle the design and construction.

Woolpert created a master plan for projects from concept through implementation, primarily using in-house services. Woolpert also provided field surveying, asbestos surveying and construction administration.

Project improvements included redesigning the vehicular route and creating a terraced promenade traversing the campus from a traffic circle to the landmark clock tower, recently voted by students as one of their favorite gathering campus spots.

To expand pedestrian access, Woolpert designed a walkway, flanked with adjacent plazas that vary in size and gathering areas (“the quad”). The plazas feature planters, landscaping, lighting and other design elements.

The design challenged historical perceptions for the use of campus spaces and rerouted traffic patterns for both vehicles and pedestrians. Woolpert gained acceptance for the plan by maintaining open communication with the campus population through faculty/staff and student representative meetings and allowing input at the schematic design and design development stages for each improvement.