University Planning and Architectre The search for perfection BOOK REVIEWABOUT THE BOOK TYPE OF BOOK ‘This ook i the defnitve compendium ofthe prestigious sphere of campus design profiling its abundant past and counseling for its future. The book brings together two approaches the historcal andthe strategic, to examine what constitutes a successful campus and how to apply these conclusions to real-ife, ‘modern-day contexts. The purpose of this book is o help institutional leaders, planners and designers to utilize the campus — one of the most valuable assets at any university's isposal ois fll potential Trough adroit planning choices, the entire environment can be shaped into an expression of institutional identity and ambitions. This ‘book explores the rich history of unwersty design inorder to daw lessons that proffer scope for the moder -day campus. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Jonathan Coulson Jonathan Coulson founded Turnberry Consulting with Paul Roberts in 1998 and isan Executive Director ofthe frm. As a Director, Jonathan has led a wide range of planning and development issues with particular focus on complex rationalisation or redevelopment projects, acting for both the public and private sector. He has extensive experience working on sites of sensitive contexts, including urban educational, residential and historic sites. In many cases, these schemes have involved land use planning. development and market related feasibility studies. Notably he has r provided development svategy advice to numerous universes on estate strategy, science and technology projects. Paul Roberts Poul Roberts founded Turberry Consuting with Jonathan Coulson in 1998, Asan Executive Director, he has led planning and development projects across the UK and US, including university masterplan, strategic sports facility redevelopment, new towns; retail and commercial schemes and scence and technology projects. Paul has provided strategic development advice o a wide range of clerts and is experienced in dealing with complex property sues, particularly sites ofa sensitive industrial or conservation nature. He has also led negotiations for land use planning and legal agreements, led research projects for public and private sector clients and Provided financial and cash-flow strategies for major developments. bl Paul has lectured internationally on university masteplanning racetrack design and management and new town development He is a co-author of University Planning and Design: The Search for Perfection, and The Spa: Saratogas Legendary Racecourse. He is a Member ‘ofthe Royal Town Planning institute and the Royal Istituto of Chartered Surveyors,lsabelle Taylor Isabelle Taylors the Head of Research and Publications at Turnberry Consuiting. sable read fora BA inthe History of Art atthe Unversity of Cambridge, followed by ‘an MAin the History of Art atthe Courtauld Institute of Art. She works at Tumberry Consulting as a researcher and write. She has jointly authored University Panning and Architecture: The Search for Perfection with Jonathan Coulson and Poul Roberts, and The Spa: Saratoge’s Legendary Racecourse with Paul Roberts, About Turnberry ‘A London-based development strategy consultancy created to asi landowners to develop realestate projects driven by quality and functionality, Tumberry i a management consultancy providing development strategy advice across o range of varied and challenging projects. Our expertise i on specific project sectors, namely education: scence and technology; and institutional Sport, and in particular thoroughbred racing Estate development, new communities and suburban regeneration INTRODUCTION OF BOOK In his citcal overview of university architects, Martin Pearce (2001) suggests that, “education is an vise substance architecture allows it to become materi’: Capturing the essence of education in architectural form has abways been a ental focus of learning space design Inthe 2tst century, attention has increasingly focused on intemal space inthe form of leaning commons and writing centers often with a dsregar for exterior space and the embedded ideology (of university planning In University Planing and Architecture The Search for Perfection, the authors provide an accesible, historical overview of university planning fom the University of Bologna in 1088 to the University of Technology Petronas in 1957 The fist chapter provides a brief but thorough examination of historical architectural design in education, detailing the architectural movements that shaped some ofthe worlds greatest colleges and universes, The numerous casestudies of individual universes inthe second chapter ilustrate that architecture may not only be the material manifestation ofthe invisible substance of education, but itself a product ofthe socio-historical context from which tases. ‘The third and final chapter provides a useful rubric for developing a campus masterplan inthe 21st centuryABOUT THE BOOK SUMMARY The environment ofa university — what we tem 3 campus —s@ place with special resonance. Aside from their funcional necessity buildings and landscapes form the heart and soul ofthese institutions. ‘The fest chapter proves a brief but thorough examination of historical architectural design in education, detailing the architectural movements that shaped some of the words greatest colleges and universes. From Frederick Olmstead’ philosophy of nature ifiuencing the design of Washington Univers in St. Lous to the post modernist design of Frank Gehry’ Stata Centre at the Massachusetts institute of Technology the authors remind us that university design and architecture is ‘ot merely provocative, but procreative inthe experience of the user. Whereas the Beaux-Arts Movement in architecture enclosed universes into miniature ces on 2 ‘fd and avs, the Gothic Revival attempted to intl the concept of longevity to newer American Universes. These embedded architectural ideologies color the Student's educational experience The numerous casestudies of individual universities inthe second chapter ilustrate tat architecture may not only be the material manifestation ofthe invisible substance of education but itseif a product ofthe socio “historical context from which it arses. The casestudies underscore the embedded ideologies of learning spaces and the challenges of reform and change. For example, the case study on Moscow State University discusses the exterior architecture as immersed in Stalinist Urbanism expressed in bold form, but functonaly inadequate. Embedded into the Moscow skiing, the university buldings encapsulate the propagandist aims ofthe Soviet state under Stalin, The third and final chapter summaries the inferences fom the case studies ilustratd in the previous chapter and outines a universal set of rules for developing a campus masterplan inthe 2st Century while recognizing the fat that each institution should be moulded by a plan reflective of its circumstances. ‘enunciats the functions of planning of a campus, which ranks amongst the university's most effective marketing tools. EVALUATION ~The book comprehensively documents the worldwide evolution of university design from the Mile Ages tothe present day, uncovering the key developments which have shaken the word of campus planning A series of case stucles profes universaly-accaimed campuses that, through their planing, architecture and landscaping, have made origina ifuential and striking contrioutions to the field- Drawing on these examples, the book then tus toa svategic investigation of the ingredients pivotal to successful campus design which are tanslated to create a “good practice guide for anyone interested inthe cretion or development of environments fr higher education, The books structured ito three pats begining witha chronological outine ofthe history of university planning and architecture, flowed by a collection of case studies profiing individual campuses, and concluded by 8 good practice quide that consolidates the preceps ofthe earlier chapters into a practical edict for creating 2a successful campus master plan in a contemporary context. The selection of case studies makes no claims to be a comprehensive survey of the genre but has careful selected its examples against these ovetapping and ‘uid categories: master pla architecture; landscape; culation; community; responsiveness to region and history; responsiveness to institutional mission and values ‘memorable places and innovation. ‘A number of worthy campuses have not been included within this ist, not because they are not successful university environments but rather thatthe lessons they ‘provide have been better illustrated elsewhere, For example of the seven institutions bracketed under the banner ‘New Universities that were founded in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. CONCLUSION In her work, Framing Places: Mediating Power in But Form, Kim Dovey (2008) reminds us that, "though the relations of architecture to social behavior are complex and culturally embedded they should not be ignored” (p. 2). Ths book underscores the importance of a holistic approach to the design of leering spaces, not only considering the internal, but with recognition of extemal architecture as well Though quibbles and tensions wil inevitably arse conceming te relationship of interior to extemal leaming spaces the quandary is worthy of cosideration. Tis bookis well-orth reading since it provides a lot of detals about the evolution of campus planing and architecture over the years. Tis Book would be very useful for those who are into knowing more about the campus planing and architecture of campuses around the world