on campus
Sam Noona, Adelaide Learning Uni Hub campuses around the world. These issues are addressed variously through behaviour change programs, educational aspirations, infrastructure provision and built form. Some universities choose to address environmental issues holistically as part of the master plan, and others section it off to a separate department, often dealing with behavioural change and organisational issues separately to the spatial and built environment aspects. We believe sustainability considerations should be an integral part of an effective master plan. They should be dealt with at a campus and sub-precinct level where an integrated approach will provide a number of solutions at different scales.
So where to for the campus environment in 2014 and beyond, and what role can master planning play in this?
At the time of writing, this question would certainly be more easily answered if there were a more defined position on higher education and research from the new Federal Government. Many commentators have already observed a softening on the targets for the growth in student numbers, a reorientation and reduction in research funding and the winding back of the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper.
Whilst many businesses may claim their model is too complex to undertake master planning, I would suggest that it is an ever more critical process for complex organisations, especially during times of uncertainty and change.
Master planning provides an opportunity to fully consider the suite of strategic documents and programs in operation. Because it firmly places outcomes in a physical and spatial context, it allows a university to weigh how those outcomes relate to the vision for the campus and various programs for buildings, public realms, services, the environment and transport. It asks critical questions about how spaces for education, research and work will relate to one another, and how people will move between them and to and from the campus.
Master planning can provide the vehicle to a better understanding and focus on growth opportunities; it can establish focus points for future direction to allow more detailed design to flourish. And focusing projects in distinct areas can be financially savvy, where they are aligned with government funding and private and philanthropic investment.
Finally, master planning gives a university the opportunity to consult widely, refine numerous priority action and capitalise on limited budgets to achieve maximum value for investment.
Universities are increasingly looking beyond their boundaries for growth, partnership and funding opportunities. These areas can be outside traditional planning frameworks, requiring a sensitive and thorough engagement program with a much wider group of decision makers, stakeholders and residents. These parties need to be part of the master planning journey because failure to have a comprehensive engagement and consultation program leaves universities exposed to significant risk. This includes having plans rejected, or being subject to lengthy and costly delays in negotiating planning frameworks.
When planning new and refurbished facilities, flexibility and robustness are the overriding themes. Advances in technology and evolving pedagogies and research models require buildings to accommodate more frequent infrastructure changes and enable new collaborative and reflective spaces to meet student, teacher and researcher needs. Flexible and larger floor plates, similar to current commercial uses, appear to be gaining traction in the higher education sector.
We foresee that the expansion of student learning hubs will continue to dominate. They provide students with a diverse range of spaces that facilitate peer-to-peer and reflective learning as well as the social and technological elements necessary to allow students to remain on campus. Allied is the range of ancillary services that meet daily needs. Universities are often a microcosm of the city and must provide a range of services to satisfy the needs of a diverse population that extends beyond young adults transitioning from school life. The range of facilities, target market and locational characteristics are all key considerations for a modern campus.
The theme of university as part of the city is prevalent and encapsulates the prevailing trends in urban design. By enlivening the campus with community and cultural activity, housing, vibrant public spaces and convenient transport connections, universities will attract more people to campus, whether for educational or social activities, thus providing a better connection to their community and more engaging campus life.
A campus is more than just a convenient collection of buildings for teaching and learning. It says a lot about a university’ s past and its mission, values and future aspirations. It plays a critical role in the attraction and retention of staff, students, visitors and partners. It overtly displays this through its quality of architecture, public realm, open space and the organisation and relationship between all elements. Every campus is also a cultural and social hub and contributes greatly to the life of our cities.
A thoughtful and considered approach that’ s design-led is critical for a cohesive and“ future-proofed” campus to flourish. A master plan led by designers working with clients, users and various cultural, social, built-environment, environmental and economic practitioners is important to enable success. The quality of the outcome is inherently related to the quality of inputs, analysis, testing and resolution of competing priorities. Done well, a master plan lays the framework to enable these most valuable institutions to meet their future needs with confidence. n
Adam Davies is a principal at international design practice HASSELL.
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