Creating Aesthetic Unity on the College Campus

The old adage Rome wasn’t built in a day, also holds true for college and university campuses, which evolve over time, reflecting ever-changing campus needs and architectural styles. A state-of-the-art technology center can abut the same quad as a college’s original art museum, erected in 1715.

The existing entrance to Gasson Hall on Boston College’s Chestnut Hill, Mass., campus.

A visualization of Gasson Hall with a pedestrian walk replacing a vehicular drive. The computer imaging also shows a perimeter fence/pier detail, lights, and paving.

Through the years, campus design deviates from the school’s inaugural vision. That change in direction occurs, perhaps, because the school has an outmoded master plan that no longer serves the needs of the school population. Perhaps the school never developed a master plan. Or perhaps the school never integrated landscape and campus layout into its master planning process. In all three scenarios, landscaping and site master planning can create unity within an eclectic campus scheme.

The benefits of a unified campus

A unified campus is of capital importance. The litmus of a family’s endorsement of a school or university resides in a campus visit. A harmonious interplay of building, grounds, programming, security, and layout serves as the school’s primary marketing tool to inspire confidence in parents and a sense of well being and intellectual and creative motivation in prospective students.

A consistent site vocabulary unifies a campus: signage and graphics; hierarchical paving; site furniture; bollards; receptacles; and fencing and edging lend legibility, orientation, and establish clear boundaries and perimeters. Kiosks animate the campus and provide visitors with information. Reliable lighting and call boxes provide an extra measure of security. And finally, the landscape itself gives the campus an inviting aesthetic and seasonal identity. The image of a campus is primarily identified by the overall development of the built environment, including the landscape and site elements. For example, when visiting Harvard University, one is struck by Harvard Yard with its magnificent trees and consistent site treatments.

The benefits of a landscape architect

Schools often employ a master planning process that allows for new facilities and consistent growth over time. But just as often, schools neglect to integrate a unifying campus character, and the eclectic building pattern results in a checkerboard effect. The landscape master plan focuses on landscape architecture and site planning issues to lend animation, safety, and consistency to college and university layouts and should be utilized as an adjunct to the traditional facilities master plan.

The role of a landscape architect can be critical in this master planning process by:

• Providing the campus with a unique character and identity
• Creating campus-wide consistency
• Providing the planning and maintenance staff with guidelines for future improvements
• Developing a phasing plan based on priorities and available resources
• Identifying areas of improvements for building and grounds staff to incorporate into yearly work plans
• Identifying areas for capital improvements
• Guiding site design for future building projects
• Streamlining the decision-making process
• Improving maintenance by establishing levels of service for specific areas

Paving the way with technology

Campus design is never simple. In schools, every space is a learning space, and interpreting academic space can therefore be contentious. When developing a master plan, computer technology and visualization processes can be used to preview the finished design.

The existing plaza on the Boston College Campus in Chestnut Hill, Mass.

A visualization of the plaza, showing the surrounding area revitalized and animated by the addition of shade trees, seat walls, furniture, and public art.

In 1996, Boston College appointed a president who saw the importance of landscape and site planning to give the school the visual and aesthetic unity he felt was a critical-but missing-campus component. To help the college president illustrate his campus vision to the school’s trustees and the broader campus community, Geller Associates used photo imaging. An electronic presentation was prepared graphically identifying campus issues, showing precedents from other campuses, and identifying the major planning goals, objectives, and results. The presentation enabled consensus to be achieved much more quickly than otherwise would be possible, and the process itself was a lot more interactive and easier for all involved. In this case, photo imaging and 3-D renderings allowed Geller’s site and landscape proposal to stand out among the more traditional architectural proposals the trustees were used to seeing and funding.

Facilities directors would benefit by including the landscape planning in any master plan, or campus planning process. Landscape architecture can unify the visual character of any campus. And don’t discount the value of technology in the planning process. Plans, photographs, spreadsheets, photo imaging, and 3-D renderings can be electronically converted to make consensus-building go smoothly.

Joseph Geller is founding partner of Geller Associates Inc., which offer landscape architectural, site planning, urban design, cost estimating, permitting, and construction administration services. Geller Associates has offices in Boston and Wellesley, Mass. www.gellerinc.com.