Story by Zoe Marcum, FS Communications Student Assistant
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, thrives on community, offering many places for students, staff, and Vol fans alike to kick up their feet, chat with friends, eat some good food, and soak in the spirit of Rocky Top. The Student Union is one of those prized communal places, offering many things, from the spacious meeting rooms where workshops and boards meet, the casual Volunteer orange couches and chairs, to the array of food available to all of UTK.
Recently, Facilities Services began a project to expand that reach of fellowship to the spacious lawn and provide more for the people of Rocky Top; the East Plaza. Currently a spacious slice of green grass on the east side of the Student Union, Ted Murphy, Lead Landscape Architect, spent more than a year and a half working with his team to design a space that invites Vols to gather, relax, and connect. “[We are] Trying to get more student activities happening at the Student Union,” says Ted Murphy. “Not just inside, but on the exterior as well.”
A redesigned section of the East Plaza will play a key role in improving pedestrian safety for all Vols during the busiest class-change hours. The updated space will include new tables and chairs, giving students a comfortable place to study, relax, and enjoy Tennessee’s year‑round weather. As part of the project, the team will also install a new crosswalk across Philip Fulmer Way, creating a direct and secure path to the Walters Academic Building. The addition ensures that students and Vol fans alike can move through campus more safely and efficiently while offering the best choice of outdoor seating to enjoy beautiful Tennessee weather.
Adjacent to the seating area, the team is constructing an open, covered stage designed to host community events, performances, and student activities. The stage fronts a small synthetic‑turf lawn with tiered seating reminiscent of the popular gathering space near Gate 21 of Neyland Stadium. The turf features a state‑of‑the‑art drainage system that allows the area to dry quickly after rain, keeping it usable throughout the year. Nearby, an oversized fire table, managed by Student Union staff, will give Vols a cozy place to warm up and unwind during colder months.
The rest of the plaza will be devoted to food trucks, the same ones that staff, students, and Vol fans alike have enjoyed in areas across campus. The site includes space for two trucks, complete with built‑in utilities, such as drainage and power hookups, ensuring vendors have everything they need to serve the hardworking UT community.
Our campus thrives on connection, and UT Facilities Services plays a vital role in creating the spaces where that connection happens. The East Plaza project is the latest example of how the university invests in places that bring people together to relax, to share a meal, and to celebrate the spirit of Rocky Top.