Professional Documents
Culture Documents
When landscape and other site designers get creative, a campus's character can shine.
By:
Joseph T. Geller and Robert M. Corning
University Business, May 2007
SHADED BY A WILLOW TREE, A SMALL CLASS SITS ON a well-manicured lawn. The
women's running team circles around a pristine track as seated onlookers applaud.
These images come to mind when one a prospective student or parent in particular envisions a
college campus. They are images that define the competitive landscape in higher ed. Families tend
to come away from a campus tour with a strong instinct about the school, colored in large part by
whether it matches the look and feel of the campus of their dreams. So the character of a campus
whether it truly has that storybook look and feel can be a critical differentiator in the final decision.
At other times, the decision arises secondarily, when a school undertakes another type of project
such as embarking on a master planning effort, becoming ADA compliant, contemplating the usage
of a newly acquired parcel of land, converting an existing building to a new use, or addressing a
parking shortage. Inevitably the conversation turns to the ever present bigger picture: How can we
make our campus look more like a campus?
Ideally, even if this question is not directly raised, a landscape architecture firm or other design
team engaged to address a particular project will at least bring up the issue and urge the school to
consider the broader impact on the campus. A good design team will always have in mind how any
on-campus undertaking might enhance the aesthetics and feel of the campus as a whole now and
into the future.
A Master's in Planning
The most lasting, effective, and economical way to achieve campus unity is to establish a master
plan. A master plan can determine standards for elements such as signage, fencing, receptacles, and
furniture and can prevent the inconsistencies and hodgepodge feel that arise from improvements
made without the benefit of an overall plan to guide them. Investing time and resources in creating a
master plan offers (a) a multifaceted, appreciable return that also includes streamlined decisionmaking achieved by drawing on cohesive design standards, and (b) an improved ability to engage in
capital campaigns because one is able to effectively convey a vision and predict costs.
The role of a landscape architect can be critical in the master planning process by:
- Establishing a unique character and identity for a campus.
- Creating campus wide consistency.
- Providing planning and maintenance staff with guidelines for future improvements.
- Developing a phasing plan based on priorities and available resources.
- Identifying areas of improvement for building and grounds staff to incorporate into annual work
plans.
- Determining areas that need capital improvements.
- Guiding site design for future building projects.
- Streamlining the overall decision-making process.
- Improving maintenance by establishing levels of service for specific areas.
When colleges and universities engage a landscape architecture firm, that firm often becomes the
school's long-term partner and institutional memory for the campus. Providing this continuity in a
site design team is another strategy that can help in maintaining campus unity.