Aquinas College

In 2015, TowerPinkster helped Aquinas College develop a master plan to determine priority improvements and investments throughout the campus. One such item was improving the College’s main entrance. It was planned that the main entrance of the College be moved to the primary thoroughfare through downtown Grand Rapids. The Aquinas team desired a comprehensive design solution for the new entry including entry gate components, signage, lighting, sidewalks, landscape, and other items to create a truly remarkable entry experience focused on a statue of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The new entrance features a combination of curved brick walls, stone, and wrought iron. By enhancing the boundary of campus, the College brand was heightened while helping with wayfinding for visitors. Our team worked with Jay Hall Carpenter, a sculptor well-known for his religious works, to design the bronze statue of St. Thomas Aquinas. The statue, which sits upon an island, is the focal point of the Fulton Street Entrance and a reference point on campus while projecting the unique Dominican values of the College to the community. Site design included adding trees and landscaping to the entrance, creating a grander and more welcoming entrance for the College.