Middle Path at Kenyon College
Middle Path is at the heart of Kenyon College. Extending for two-thirds of a mile north from Old Kenyon Hall, it is the main thoroughfare, the town square, and the organizing principle that has guided campus development for over 150 years.
Within the 2012 Master Plan for Kenyon College, MVVA was asked to renovate Middle Path to meet the college’s goals for improving accessibility.
The existing path was surfaced with a local river stone cherished for its color, texture, and the sound it made as it shifted underfoot. To capture these qualities in an accessible path, MVVA chose decomposed granite for its ability to create a solid walking surface without sacrificing the sounds and informality of the existing path.
A custom blend of different color granites was developed to match the warm tones of the river stone.
In the historic core, existing sugar maples bordering the path were carefully preserved, while a new canopy of mixed oak species was planted along Middle Path’s northern sections in response to sun, slope, and moisture conditions.
