Western Technical College’s Integrated Technology Center Courtyard in La Crosse, Wisconsin receives an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architect (ASLA) Wisconsin Chapter.

Recognized for having transformed an underutilized and outdated pedestrian corridor in the downtown La Crosse campus of over 5000 Students. The new courtyard connects people to nature by embracing an indigenous ecotype of the of the region, the tamarack bog, a part of the Driftless biome of southwest Wisconsin. The resulting courtyard combines a unique blend of native plants, indigenous materials and open spaces to create a “campus sponge” and a living laboratory that teaches students about their local natural environment.

Excellence in Landscape Design and Stewardship

Sustainability is the predominant factor in the design and evolution of the courtyard. Using endemic materials that integrate hints of the surrounding landscape helped create spaces that allow users to engage in the landscape and benefit from its design. The project puts the building and site technologies in the hands of the students and educators alike, uncovering the physical infrastructure for use within the academic curriculum. Some of the notable site and sustainable features include:

• A 15,000-gallon water reclamation system that collects discharged chiller water and rainwater to account for 100% of the site’s irrigation.
• The integration of permeable pavers, bioretention cells and native plants which help remove over 640 pounds of sediment and infiltrate over 1,683,000 gallons of rainwater on an annual basis.
• A LEED Platinum Certified project that helped the college demonstrate their commitment to reducing their impact on the environment.

RDG Planning & Design is proud to be partnering with Western Technical College, assisting them in identifying sustainable opportunities, addressing cost savings initiatives, and realizing their sustainability goals.  Working closely with the College’s facilities planning team and HSR Associates, we are improving the campus through the integration of ecological and environmental design.