Building Tulane Commons: RCI’s Contribution to a Campus Landmark

As students return to Tulane University this fall, one building continues to stand out as a centerpiece of campus life: the Malkin-Sacks Commons, a 77,000-square-foot, three-story hub designed to bring dining, learning, and community together.

The Vision

The Commons was designed by WEISS/MANFREDI (Design Architect) in collaboration with Waggonner & Ball (Associate Architect). The building houses two floors of state-of-the-art dining facilities and the historic Newcomb College Institute on the top floor, creating a dynamic, multipurpose gathering space at the edge of Tulane’s main campus green.

The surrounding landscape, envisioned by Towers | Golde (Landscape Architect), integrates sustainable stormwater features and inviting green spaces, ensuring that the building feels both rooted in place and forward-looking in its environmental performance.

RCI’s Role: From Vision to Reality

As the landscape contractor, we were entrusted with executing Towers | Golde’s design and ensuring the landscape came to life with precision and care. Beginning in late June 2019, our crews worked around the clock — 12-hour days, 7 days a week — to meet the demanding project timeline.

Our responsibilities included:

• Installing the 9,000-square-foot rain garden and vegetated swale system, designed to capture and treat nearly twice the stormwater required by code.
• Executing extensive grading, drainage, and soil preparation to support long-term landscape health.
• Installing plantings and green spaces that connect the Commons seamlessly with the broader campus green.

This combination of technical expertise and dedicated manpower allowed us to deliver a landscape that not only met the design intent but also supports Tulane’s sustainability goals.

A Lasting Impact

Today, Tulane Commons serves as a true hub for students, faculty, and visitors — a place where dining, scholarship, and community come together. For RCI, the project represents the best of what we do: bringing ambitious designs to life through craftsmanship, collaboration, and commitment.

We are proud to have played a role in building this campus landmark and to have partnered with some of the industry’s leading architects and designers to make it possible.

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