Photo by: Michael Schore
Did you know that the Brickyard, officially NC State’s University Plaza, was designed after St. Mark’s Square located in Venice, Italy? St. Mark’s Square or Piazza San Marco has been called “the drawing room of Europe.” According to history, it’s one of the few urban spaces in Europe where human voices are heard over the sounds of motorized traffic.
With campus events, religious speakers and nearby Hillsborough Street, our own piazza has been the “drawing room” of NC State since its completion in 1969. Prior to the brick, according to N.C. State Magazine, the plaza was covered in grass and mud. Chancellor John C. Caldwell along with Carroll Mann, then director of facilities planning, were convinced that a landscape architecture plan “would effectively . . . unify the campus and permeate it with a university atmosphere.”
Boy were they right! Today, the Brickyard is a NC State landmark where university traditions are carried out each year.
In commemoration of this symbol and the tie to Italy’s St. Mark’s Square, University Dining fittingly named our Atrium Italian concept “Brickyard Pizza and Pasta.” And now, as January nears, the menu can be revealed.
Pizza selections will remain the same as before, save a new crust, with a variety of toppings to choose from. Why mess with a good thing, right?
What’s on the Menu: Pepperoni, Cheese, Meat Lovers, Veggie, and Supreme
Pasta dishes will rotate daily to give students a unique option each day. To soak up the savory sauces, choose from bread sticks or garlic toast.
What’s on the Menu: We are still finalizing the details, but as it stands, we plan to serve a rotation of Chicken Alfredo with Cavatelli Noodles, Baked Ziti, Mushroom Ravioli with Chicken in a Vodka Cream Sauce, Sausage and Tortellini in a Smoked Gouda Sauce, and Chicken Cacciatore with Penne Pasta.