The new Bates Courtyard, previously inaccessible from the residence hall, is designed to facilitate student connections and to invite students to gather outside. The new spaces are designed to suit the smallest groups to the largest, including the East Side Fall Festival, which draws students from across campus and kicks off each new academic year. The planting palette includes cherry, magnolia, and dogwood trees, blooming in sequence from early spring through early summer, culminating in beautiful fall foliage—serving as a time marker throughout the year.