Gates Quad
The Gates Quadrangle is a network of paths surrounding five mounded lawns leading to and from Mather Dining Hall. Formerly called the Mather Quad, it was renamed in the summer of 2012 after a complete transformation and renovation.
The quad was rededicated during Homecoming Weekend of November 2013 in recognition of the lead gift from John Gates, Jr. '76, P’13 and Weezie Gates P’13, among others. Parents and Trinity alumni hoped to bring positive change to the “campus feel.”
The project, which cost about $2.65 million, was designed by Chicago-based Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects and constructed by the Kirchhoff-Consigli firm.
Previously, the quad was a simple grassy hill. The renovation created more accessible paths for students to and from Mather Hall, one of the most central places on campus. Multiple paths now lead from Mather to the Library, Austin Arts Center, Clement Building, Long Walk, Hallden Hall, and South Campus dormitories.
More security measures, including LED lights, were added to the quad to increase student safety. The new design also improved the Mather Cave entrance, adding a rounded patio into the hill for a natural amphitheater.
The Class of 1963 dedicated a clock to the Gates Quad during the 2014 Homecoming Weekend. The clock sits atop the Austin Arts Center, overlooking the Quad.