The Sherman Laboratory building
is a 3-sided, 2-story structure with a central courtyard area,
complete with a low, continuous concrete wall separating the
planted area from the central courtyard. Several benches and
tables are placed along the wall, which provide an attractive
rest and lunch area for many students and staff at the university.
It also provides a somewhat intimate feel for the area. The
large open space in the middle gives the effect of only a small
plantable area near the buildings, yet there is a surprising
amount of space available for landscaping. In the past, large
trees dominated this planted area with an understory of weeds
and grasses. Now, we have created a more diverse and Hawaiian
landscaped area that highlights the space as well as increases
the aesthetic beauty and sense of place in our courtyard.
The
first set of photos below were taken from the southeast corner
of the courtyard in April 2006. They show a broken panoramic
view of the courtyard, starting
from the south and moving clockwise to the east side of the
courtyard.
The second set of photos highlight some of the beautiful native
plants in the courtyard. You are invited to come see for yourself
what we can do as a campus community to promote native plant
landscaping and Native Hawaiian culture.
