Historic Landmark Becomes an Enhanced Destination for the Campus Community

Universities are more than places of academia. Beyond books and assignments, the campus landscape inspires and shapes the collegiate experience and is woven into our memories of place. Many universities and colleges have iconic landscapes, treasured places that contribute to the campus signature to keep generations connected to the institution. Read how one university's landmark has evolved to meet the needs of future generations.

For The Ohio State University, one such treasured place that is part of the campus signature and heightens the memory of place is Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake has long been an iconic University landmark, and it has seen many changes over the last century and a half. The University partnered with MKSK and collaborators to restore Mirror Lake with a renovation that would return it to a more natural edge and more sustainable condition and bare a stronger resemblance to its historic form.

The Mirror Lake District introduces many new physical, visual, and human connections for the campus community. The District is now physically connected through new pathways and terraces around the lake, which provide students accessibility to major areas of campus and allow them to take advantage of new seating options. Visual connections to the surrounding landmarks through two overlook terraces styled to complement surrounding architecture, provide enhanced views of Mirror Lake from various vantage points. Most important, however, are the human connections occurring in the new Mirror Lake District. A variety of seating areas activate the space for interaction, as well as provide a place to independently stop, sit, and contemplate. The renovated Mirror Lake District, now an enhanced destination and community connection, is brought to life by the campus community.

­­An inspired idea to provide a major new pathway through the district linking the South Campus housing with the Academic Campus, provides engagement of the lake on a daily basis. This, in addition to improved existing pathways and overlook terraces, create visual cross-campus connections to the historic Browning Amphitheater, The Hollow, and The Oval, as well as the newly renovated Pomerene Hall. These connections make the Mirror Lake District a unified campus destination.­

As students engage and embrace the new spaces of the Mirror Lake District, success has been evidenced by the appreciation of the improved features and lively connectivity of the spaces. The terraces and ribbon benches see consistent daily use. The Adirondak chairs are seldom empty accommodating many brown bag lunches and coffee breaks. The addition of WiFi supports outdoor study. The entire Mirror Lake District is now being greatly utilized for new student orientation, University student group functions, as well as individual study spots and meeting places. In addition, Browning Amphitheater is now seeing a resurgence of use.    

Restored to a more natural form, the renovated lake now has a soft wetland edge and a water quality system which circulates water through cleansing grasses before returning it to the lake.

Ribbon bench seating designed to follow the natural curvature of the lakeside pathways, offers many new seating opportunities along the pathway for students amidst their daily travel.

A small bubbler fountain pays tribute to previous generations of alumni, echoing the original sweet water spring upon which the University was founded. The fountain is surrounded by a bronze class ring gifted by the classes of 1927, 1929 and 1930, capturing the essence of Mirror Lake’s past while inspiring the future generations to create memories.

Utilizing the new district WiFi, the lakeside terrace becomes a favorite place for students to study.

As construction fences were removed, students eagerly explored the enhanced Mirror Lake pathways, terraces, and ribbon benches, claiming favorite spots to form new memories of place and activating the space to make it a relaxing destination for daily activity.