The Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research at Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas

Garcia Design, Inc. provided landscape architecture design services for this national research center. The site, formerly a parking lot, is nestled in-between three existing university buildings, features a simple tree-lined arrival area on the south side, a cypress lined pedestrian mall on the north side, a children’s play area on the east side , and a serenity garden on the west side. The paving pattern is integrated with the building design and helps to organize the lighting, benches, and trees into a simple geometric pattern that is easy to remember. One of the challenges was to design a landscape that would not over-stimulate persons with autism who tend to perceive colors differently. Colors were selected to create a calm environment that is easy to navigate.