A new and improved Mudd Field is coming to WashU in 2028.
Long a beloved spot for intramural sports, pickup Frisbee and campus traditions such as the Activities Fair, Mudd Field soon will be lined by dozens of shade trees and will feature a new “social green,” a shady retreat for students to swing on hammocks and relax between classes. A new pathway will connect the north and south sides of campus.
Ed Soltero, assistant vice chancellor and university architect, said the new Mudd Field will be as functional as it is beautiful. Other improvements include sustainable drainage and irrigation updates, a reconfigured green space near Graham Chapel and two tree-lined allées — on the south, a re-established Broad Walk, original to the 1900 campus plan, will stretch from Graham Chapel to Francis Gymnasium; to the north, a new walk will run to Anheuser-Busch Hall. In addition to intramural sports and other large-scale events like WILD, Mudd Field and the surrounding green spaces will accommodate a range of large and small campus events.
“The renovation of Mudd Field is an exciting opportunity for the entire WashU community,” Soltero said. “With improved transitions from the surrounding buildings, addition of many shade trees and infrastructure to support events — all at a more functional scale — the new space is designed to feel as though it has always been here.”
Mudd Field Timeline
January: Preparation of Mudd Field and surrounding areas continues; trees removed for construction and fire lanes
March: Portions of fencing erected around Mudd Field; field remains available through the spring semester. Temporary fire lane installed near Graham Chapel
May 13: Mudd Field closes
August: Activities Fair and intramural sports relocated to alternate venues
Fall 2028: Construction completed
Riney Hall, the new Arts & Sciences building under construction to the east, also will boast new green spaces including the sweeping Riney Quadrangle. The Mudd Field project is being led by local St. Louis architecture firm Trivers, along with Virginia-based Michael Vergason Landscape Architects (MVLA), designers of the east end landscape. MVLA is prioritizing native plantings and selecting trees that can thrive in the eastern Missouri climate and withstand a lot of foot traffic and activity. With these projects, the WashU Arboretum is estimated to gain 250 trees in coming years. WashU, one of the few Level III arboreta on a college campus, already is home to 6,500 trees.
Construction on Mudd Field, along with Riney Hall, will begin after Commencement; the field will remain open until then. Crews have started to prepare the area for the installation of fire lanes and geotechnical work at Riney Hall.
Rob Wild, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students, said the new Mudd Field is a big win for students. The open footprint will allow for big events such as WILD and, potentially, tailgating and post-Commencement celebrations. The smaller spaces can accommodate outdoor classes, student group tabling and new traditions such as Dr. G’s Funhouse and Winter Fest. And the pathway will provide a convenient way to cross campus without spoiling your sneakers. Indeed, some on campus mistakenly believe Mudd Field is named for its occasional bog-like condition, rather than for philanthropist Seeley G. Mudd.
“This is a next-level design that makes Mudd Field, right in the heart of campus, a destination for students,” said Wild, noting Mudd Field’s proximity to the Danforth University Center and student housing. “The possibilities are endless.”
