Learning + Gathering

KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY

KSU – MARIETTA CAMPUS QUAD
Higher Education – Institutional

SNAPSHOT

Location: Marietta, GA

Status: Construction completed 2024

Development Cost: $2 million

Size: 4.5 acres

PROJECT TEAM

Landscape Architect: Jennifer Ilkin while at Eberly & Associates

General Contractor – Lusk Commercial Contractors

Civil Engineer: Eberly & Associates

Drone images courtesy of Lusk Commercial Contractors

SERVICES

As the Principal in Charge of Landscape Architecture Services, Jennifer Ilkin led the team in the renovation of a space where students could gather, study, and recharge within a dynamic and thoughtfully designed landscape. By blending functionality, sustainability, and aesthetics, this revitalized space strengthens the student experience and reinforces the value of landscape architecture in shaping a vibrant, student-centered campus environment. The approach ensured that the landscape seamlessly integrates with the campus fabric while offering new opportunities for engagement.

Key Design Elements included improving overall accessibility throughout; greatly reducing the number of impervious surfaces and providing much more greenspace for staff, students, and visitors; retaining healthy, mature trees; relocation of “The Rock” (a beloved campus feature), a new central grove with an iconic inlaid logo in the hardscape.

DETAILS

The Kennesaw State University Marietta Campus serves undergraduates and graduates in a variety of technical studies, including architecture, engineering, and construction management. Surrounded by core services such as the student center, engineering and lab buildings, and library, the large central quad serves as a hub of campus life.