For many years, buildings at Bates turned their backs on a low-lying drainage area, known to generations of students as "The Puddle." Halvorson Design conceived a comprehensive re-development for this area focused on a new college pond with improved path connections to other parts of campus. The project involved upgrading the pond's limnology and ecology and improving the visual aesthetic of the edge using indigenous plant species and weathered granite. The popular new landscape supports the academic program of surrounding buildings, including music and dance at the new Keigwin Amphitheater.