Main Campus Placemaking, University of Texas at San Antonio
Main Campus Placemaking, University of Texas at San Antonio
Like many large public universities, UTSA faced a growing challenge that could not be solved with new buildings alone: rising student isolation and a lack of everyday social connection. Nearly 90% of UTSA students live off campus, and national surveys show that more than half of college students experience loneliness. While campuses are often assumed to be natural places to make friends, meaningful relationships do not happen automatically—they require intentional social infrastructure.
In response, UTSA launched a multi-year Campus Placemaking Initiative, partnering with Phil Myrick to transform underused open spaces into a connected ecosystem of social life, creativity, and well-being. The goal was not simply to beautify campus, but to reimagine how the public realm supports friendship-building, belonging, and student success.
From Open Lawns to Social Anchors
The pilot phase focused on approximately three acres at the heart of the Main Campus, where expansive but inactive lawns offered little reason for students to linger between classes. Phil led a highly collaborative process involving students, faculty, and staff to understand how social life actually functions on campus—where students feel comfortable, how they meet new people, and what kinds of environments reduce social anxiety rather than amplify it.
This behavioral lens shaped the design of new spaces that are intentionally informal, welcoming, and easy to use—places that lower the barrier to participation and invite repeat, everyday use.
Brennan South: A New Campus Living Room (Opened 2025)
Completed in 2025, Brennan South is the first built outcome of the Campus Placemaking Initiative. The project transforms a formerly pass-through space into a celebratory campus gathering place anchored by an outdoor performance stage and flexible plaza.
The stage plays a particularly important role in campus life, effectively “daylighting” UTSA’s Theater Department, which previously lacked an outdoor venue for performances. Today, Brennan South hosts live theater, music, movie nights, student talent showcases, and informal gatherings—making arts and culture a visible, everyday part of campus life rather than a scheduled destination.
Equally important, the space is actively programmed by UTSA departments and students, reinforcing placemaking as an ongoing practice rather than a one-time design intervention.
Mom’s Kitchen: A Social Refuge (Opening 2026)
Opening in 2026, Mom’s Kitchen introduces a very different—but equally intentional—type of campus space. Conceived as a therapeutic “home away from home,” Mom’s Kitchen is designed to feel cozy, social, and emotionally supportive, especially for commuter students who may struggle to find a sense of belonging on campus.
The space centers on food and beverage, shaded lounge seating, and communal tables, paired with low-key programming such as trivia nights, open mic events, comfort-food pop-ups, and “speed-friending” sessions. Rather than large events, the emphasis is on small, repeatable moments that help students meet new people and feel at ease spending time on campus.
Together, Brennan South and Mom’s Kitchen demonstrate how different social needs—expression, celebration, comfort, and connection—can be supported through distinct but complementary placemaking strategies.
Building Long-Term Campus Capacity
Beyond physical design, the UTSA Campus Placemaking Initiative is laying the foundation for long-term institutional change. Phil helped establish a cross-departmental Placemaking Council, bringing together stakeholders from student affairs, capital projects, grounds, and academic units to coordinate programming, management, and experimentation in campus public spaces.
This work positions placemaking not as a special project, but as a durable campus capability—one that allows UTSA to continuously adapt its public realm in response to student needs.
The UTSA Campus Placemaking Initiative demonstrates how placemaking can function as a strategic tool for student well-being, social connection, and institutional identity—turning open space into a living social ecosystem that strengthens campus life every day.
This initiative is modeled after the successful Campus Placemaking program we developed at Harvard University with the Project for Public Spaces.
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