Above left: A current view of the Webster Lawn, looking toward the Academy Library; Above Right: Proposed renewal of the Webster Lawn. ©2001 Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. Landscape Architects Cambridge, Massachusetts

For the first time in decades, the Exeter campus is getting a much-needed makeover. The comprehensive plan is the result of a collaborative effort between a committee of Exeter faculty and staff and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc., landscape architects from Cambridge, Massachusetts. Slated to occur in phases over the next five years, the work will alter the terrain of the campus to make it more inviting, accessible and navigable for community members and visitors alike. Once it is fully implemented, the plan will also make the Exeter campus more livable for Exeter teachers and students, a benefit that is sure to affect positively recruitment and retention.

According to Don Briselden, Exeter’s director of facilities management, there are three overarching themes that will be addressed by the phased landscaping project. “We want to create a more pastoral atmosphere and make the campus safer for pedestrians by removing vehicles from internal areas and creating smaller, discrete parking courts on the periphery of campus.” Phase One work at what was formerly known as Abbot Circle and nearby Abbot, Soule and Peabody dormitories (initiated during summer 2001) has begun to address this issue.

Restoring the tree canopy is another priority and particularly important in light of the fact that many of Exeter’s surviving mature trees (those not lost in the hurricane of 1938 or to Dutch Elm disease) are beginning their decline. As the work of the landscape master plan progresses, creating a botanically diverse but integrated tree canopy will be crucial to re-establishing the lush foliage that once graced Exeter’s campus. Plantings (in groves) will occur over several years in designated areas and will likely include a mix of high-branched deciduous trees, evergreens and flowering understory trees.

“The final overarching theme,” explains Don, “is providing universal access by making it easier to find one’s way around the campus, by making it more traversable. This includes, but is not limited to, compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.” Accessibility will also encompass creating more and better-demarcated sidewalks and paths and improving the lighting and signing scheme, which will positively impact visitor navigation and safety concerns.

At their October 2001 board meeting, the trustees approved the next phase of the landscape master plan, to be implemented between summer 2002 and summer 2003. This will include completion of the Academy Building lawn, which will extend the new tree canopy west to Tan Lane and restore the North Oval lawn (between Front Street and the Academy Building) through replanting and irrigation. Other components will include removing vehicular traffic near dormitories to improve pedestrian safety, creating replacement parking courts for resident faculty and visitors, and planting canopy trees and open lawn. The next phase will also encompass installation of lighting and a new exterior sign program for the campus.

Don looks forward to the completion of the landscape master plan and thinks it will make a major impact on the Academy. “Our campus is more than just buildings. It needs to be unified, and the unifying element is what you see as you walk from one building to another. The synergy of trees, pathways, outdoor furniture, signage and lighting will make all the difference in terms of really enjoying the Exeter campus as a place to live, study and work.”