dumontjanks

The Ivy Corridor is a historically underused 14-acre parcel linking UVA’s historic Central Grounds to the athletic and professional schools to the north, aligned with the same east–west axis as the Arts Hill. Following the trace of an old stream bed, the corridor stretches a ten-minute walk, approximately 1,500 feet from end to end. Its scale and location present an opportunity to integrate new academic, cultural, and residential development with retail, dining, and civic spaces that serve both the University's collaborative mission and the surrounding community.

The design approach begins with the land itself. A restored stream and naturalized landscape of five continuous acres organize the district, shaping a sequence of open spaces and bridges that connect new buildings while maintaining the site’s ecological character. Key infrastructure, including the existing parking garage, is carefully integrated, while a new retention pond provides both a stormwater management system and a central civic feature. The landscape is terraced to negotiate 50' of elevation change, creating layered promenades, plazas, and amphitheater-like seating along the water’s edge.

Civic spaces form the anchors of the district: the School of Data Science Plaza, a lower arrival court adjacent to a café and museum entries, an upper court linked to a restaurant, the Center for Democracy, and the hotel/conference center. A fourth uppermost court will serve a student residential district with dining, cafe, and common workspaces. Over time, the green corridor will be framed by the Institute of Democracy, the Hotel and Conference Center, the Performing Arts Center, and additional academic and residential buildings. Together, these programs establish the Ivy Corridor as a vibrant, connective gateway that restores a vital landscape, integrates sustainable systems, and both connects and strengthens the everyday experience of UVA’s Grounds.