ACC Highland Campus Parks

Exemplifying the potential of adaptive reuse, Austin Community College's Highland Campus has transformed the former Highland Mall and surrounding expanse of parking lots into an innovative learning center and vibrant mixed-use development.

Strategically located at each end of a pedestrian green spine running through the center of the campus, Fontaine Plaza and St. John Encampment Commons transform more than 3.5 acres of former roads and parking lots into two signature parks that welcome students, visitors, and residents into comfortable, pedestrian-oriented outdoor rooms.

A model for sustainable development, the design preserves heritage trees, highlights native planting, and uses green infrastructure strategies to manage stormwater. On a site with a long history of bringing local communities together, these parks function as front yard, classroom, event space, and campus park.

At St. John Encampment Commons, a graceful event pavilion serves as both an informal daily gathering place and a venue for performances and special events. In honor of the ACC Riverbat mascot, installations of purple light poles abstract the movement of bats in flight. Part branding, part wayfinding, and part public art, these dynamic installations create memorable gateways into the campus by day and night.