The Divine Nine Plaza is a 0.18 acre project located on Georgia Tech’s Campus in Atlanta, Georgia. It celebrates the nine historical African American fraternity and sorority organizations, dating back to 1906. These organizations have been seeking a place on campus to claim as their own and now in 2023 this evidences this long sought goal. After several in-person and virtual meetings with Georgia tech staff, students and alumni, a space was created embracing the history, culture and sacredness of these unique organizations.

A stage was designed on the northeast of the site to allow performances to take place, continuing the organizations rich history of performance. Nine individual plots were placed on the northwest of the site to provide nine intimate spaces where each organization can claim as their own, displaying their individual colors, crests, and story. In the middle of the nine plots is a common space for all to enjoy and come together. On the south is a flexible lawn space designed for events including tailgating, cookouts and picnics. The planting was carefully selected to be suitable to the climate and conditions of the site, as a way to enhance the urban forest aesthetic representative of Georgia Tech’s Campus.

This space is a reflection of all the Divine Nine voices, their legacy and history, as they reclaim their rightful place on the Georgia Tech Campus.

The Groundbreaking event was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023

The Opening Ceremony event was held on Saturday, October 28, 2023

“[This site] will serve as a testament to the legacy of the generations who have walked before us,”

“It will also speak to the power of a community laying the groundwork for those who come after.”

— Jordine Jones (fourth-year industrial engineering major)(Source: Georgia Tech News)

Client

Georgia Tech University & The Divine Nine

Project Team

Landscape Architect - Designer I DesignJones LLC

Contractor I J.M. Wilkerson Construction Co. Inc.

Civil Engineering I Eberly & Associates

Electrical Engineering I Newcomb & Boyd

Project Status

Complete 2023

Size

0.18 Acres

Award

TX ASLA Merit Award 2024 I Design Constructed I Institutional, Corporate or Commercial