THE TRUE GREEN

Abstract

As extreme weather events become increasingly common and concerns for future water availability rise in the Southwestern United States, the need and opportunity for sustainable landscape design in hot arid environments grows stronger. The University of Arizona, which has committed to ambitious sustainability goals, is a prime environment for the adoption of sustainable landscapes that could work as remarkable examples of best practices in the region in terms of landscape performance. Through literature reviews, case reviews, and site assessment, this project proposes a design informed by research for a portion of the University of Arizona Mall. The result is an alternative to the existing, lawndominated landscape in favor of a more sustainable and dynamic site that maintains some of the lawn’s flexibility while incorporating a plethora of new programming and spaces at a lower water cost.