Tepper School of Business and Quadrangle

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

At Carnegie Mellon University, the Tepper School of Business and Quadrangle recast a former parking lot along Forbes Avenue as a new center of campus life. The landscape was conceived to support both the identity of the business school and the broader growth of the university, creating a connected open space framework for gathering, circulation, and everyday use.

Aerial view of a city with overlay of green and brown lines and shapes indicating urban planning or development areas.
City skyline at sunset with buildings, streets, parking lots, and a park with green lawns and trees in downtown area.
Aerial view of an urban area showcasing a large parking lot, green spaces, pathways, trees, and nearby buildings, possibly a campus or business complex.
A busy urban park scene with people walking, sitting on benches, and socializing surrounded by tall green trees and modern buildings in the background.

A sloping central green, shaded promenade, grove, and planted terraces give the site a layered character that balances institutional presence with a more intimate campus experience.

The project also helped redefine the relationship between the campus and Forbes Avenue. What had once read as an edge became an opportunity to improve visibility, access, and public life through a more walkable, legible, and welcoming streetscape.

Planting and site systems were designed with equal attention to durability, biodiversity, and long-term maintenance, including rainwater-supported irrigation and resilient materials throughout.

Peter Emerson was responsible for the design and development of this project while employed at Sasaki.

Photography Credit

Bird's eye view of a park with trees, benches, pathways, a sandbox, and yellow swings, with two people walking on the sidewalk.
Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts