Anchoring the university’s 215-acre master plan, blending nature-based stormwater management with immersive learning
Xinyang University South Bay Campus Gateway Landscape
Set within rolling terrain, Xinyang University’s (XYU) South Bay Campus is designed as a living classroom that integrates outdoor learning environments and recreational spaces with stormwater management and wildlife habitats. Born out of Sasaki’s 2020 Campus Master Plan, the new South Bay campus amplifies the liberal arts institution’s educational mission, focusing on interactive and experiential learning with a landscape that is both functional and evocative. Phase 1 of this comprehensive plan includes a 9-acre Gateway Landscape, completed in February 2025 with subsequent phases underway.
From the outset, the design team collaborated closely with the university leadership, faculty, student bodies, and the operations and facilities teams to create a unified vision for a living-learning community that integrates academic pursuits with ecological consciousness. The South Bay Campus Gateway Landscape offers an open and welcoming entrance for all, reflecting the university’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and accessible learning environment.
From vision to reality, Sasaki’s master plan integrates campus planning, landscape design, and implementation
The new gateway offers an open and welcoming entrance with uninterrupted views into the campus
Rooted in its Ecological Context
Ecological stewardship lies at the heart of the plan, focusing on preserving upland woodlands and restoring wetlands to strengthen the regional watershed. Inspired by the region’s vernacular, the design features a tapestry of spaces— from formal quads to wildflower meadows and even a tea plantation—each with its own aesthetic, ecological purpose, and management strategy. The campus, rich with diverse plant life, supports local wildlife while offering students year-round beauty and engagement.
A network of trails, nestled in the rolling topography, ensures universal access while embracing the natural setting. The campus entrance features a vibrant pollinator garden, demonstrating a commitment to local biodiversity.
The landscape actively preserves upland woodlands and restores wetland habitats
Site conditions: abandoned fishpond, construction debris, and overgrown shrubs
Campus Identity and Sense of Place
Academic, residential, and social spaces are intricately interwoven, fostering living-learning communities that thrive on connection and collaboration. The centerpiece of the gateway, a mirrored sculpture of the XYU logo, serves as both an artistic focal point and a symbol of the university’s ethos. Positioned between the plaza and a gateway pond, the sculpture’s reflective surface captures the ever-changing campus life, merging sky, foliage, and bustling activity into a dynamic visual narrative. This striking installation embodies the institution’s commitment to collaborative learning and experiential education, offering a daily reminder of the university’s forward-thinking mission.
The XYU mirrored sculpture is a campus landmark, symbolizing dynamic and experiential learning
The mirrored surface captures a dynamic visual narrative that blends the surrounding landscape
From ideation to modeling, to fabrication
The landscape creates a tapestry of flexible spaces, each with its own aesthetic and ecological purpose
The mirrored surface captures a dynamic visual narrative that blends the surrounding landscape
From ideation to modeling, to fabrication
The landscape creates a tapestry of flexible spaces, each with its own aesthetic and ecological purpose
A standout feature is the terraced waterway, an homage to the area’s agricultural heritage. Evoking memories of traditional rice paddies, it efficiently collects and purifies surface runoff from the campus core, exemplifying how historical reverence can harmonize with cutting-edge ecological management.
The gateway plaza additionally blends indigenous stonework with a grove of evergreen camphor trees and native deciduous species, creating a versatile venue for campus gatherings. Sustainability and cultural identity are key elements of the landscape, which incorporates locally sourced materials to reduce the carbon footprint and showcase local culture.
By integrating stormwater management and ecological restoration into the design, the campus functions as a living classroom for all
The gateway landscape celebrates cultural identity through local materials
An Ecologically Rich Campus Experience
The campus landscape transforms challenging terrain into a living laboratory, seamlessly blending academic pursuits with environmental stewardship. Key features include preserved upland forests, restored riparian corridors, and a ravine system for wetland habitat and stormwater management. A terraced waterway, echoing traditional rice paddies, honors the region’s agricultural heritage while purifying runoff. The campus boasts a remarkable biodiversity, with over 200 plant species. This holistic approach creates an ecologically rich campus that not only restores the landscape but also fosters a unique learning environment, harmonizing nature with academia.
The terraced waterway echoes the region’s agricultural tradition, merging heritage with ecological stormwater management strategies
Wildlife presence signals environmental recovery
Ecological functionality complements aesthetic expression to foster curiosity
Rooted in its ecological context, the landscape creates opportunities for immersive learning and exploration
A functional and evocative landscape blends the boundaries between indoor and outdoor learning
Ecological functionality complements aesthetic expression to foster curiosity
Rooted in its ecological context, the landscape creates opportunities for immersive learning and exploration
A functional and evocative landscape blends the boundaries between indoor and outdoor learning
The gateway landscape at Xinyang University is more than a campus entrance—it is a manifesto for regenerative design. By transforming a degraded site into a thriving ecological and educational hub, the project demonstrates that landscapes can simultaneously restore ecosystems, honor heritage, and inspire learning.
For more information contact Tao Zhang.
