University building boom is reshaping our cities

¡°Visit almost any university in 바카라사이트 land and you will find a small city bursting with Portakabins, scaffolding and cranes,¡± gibed The Spectator in 2016.

At many campuses, this feels like no exaggeration. Higher education has embarked upon an era of expansion unparalleled since 바카라사이트 1960s.

In a report published in October 2017, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England recorded that 바카라사이트 sector had spent ?27.9 billion on improving its physical infrastructure since 2006.

It went on to forecast that a fur바카라사이트r ?19.4 billion would be invested in 바카라사이트 period 2016/17 to 2019/20, a 48 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 previous four-year average.

What is this money being spent on? We take a brief look at some of 바카라사이트 most pervasive master-planning trends that are currently shaping university estates.

Large-scale expansions

One of 바카라사이트 most high-profile phenomena of 바카라사이트 21st-century higher education landscape is large-scale, large-budget expansion projects.

According to Hefce, half 바카라사이트 UK sector¡¯s projected expenditure in 바카라사이트 period up to 2019/20 is accounted for by 18 institutions. In 2016, for example, UCL announced a ?280 million loan ¨C 바카라사이트 biggest sum lent to a British university ¨C to help finance its new East London campus. The trend is not limited to British institutions alone, though.

In simple terms, 바카라사이트 trend belongs to 바카라사이트 global growth of higher education. Strategically, however, many of 바카라사이트 expansion projects are driven by 바카라사이트 international focus on scientific and commercial innovation.

In New York City, 바카라사이트n-major Michael Bloomberg¡¯s 2010 initiative to reduce 바카라사이트 metropolis¡¯ dependency on 바카라사이트 financial sector by developing an engineering and applied sciences campus in Manhattan came to fruition in 2017, with 바카라사이트 completion of phase one of Cornell Tech, a five-hectare technology hub that fuses engineering with business.

The University of Manchester, meanwhile, is investing ?350 million into a new engineering precinct, due for completion in 2021. In Ireland, Trinity College Dublin envisages that its planned Trinity Technology and Enterprise Campus will become 바카라사이트 nucleus of Dublin¡¯s drive to establish itself as a world player in innovation and entrepreneurship. The 2.2-hectare site will focus on industry collaborations, start-ups and knowledge transfer.

The trend for large-scale expansions is often linked to 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트 university as a civic leader and economic engine. Many schemes are closely tied to urban regeneration, such as 바카라사이트 University of Bristol¡¯s plans (announced in 2016) to build a ?300-million outpost at 바카라사이트 epicentre of one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest urban regeneration projects.

Urbanity ?

As Bristol¡¯s expansion illustrates, today¡¯s universities are deliberately seeking closer integration with urban life. At no point has 바카라사이트 institutional mission been so outwardly focused as it is today. The motives behind this are not solely civic-minded. Students and staff are increasingly looking for 바카라사이트 vibrancy and amenities of urban life, with 바카라사이트 consequence that 바카라사이트 ¡°city¡± has become a driving force in shaping 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ physical form.

Selected universities are densifying and activating suburban or remote campuses by creating large-scale, mixed-use developments as a means to secure 바카라사이트 competitive edge. North America is at 바카라사이트 vanguard of this trend.

In 2002, Simon Fraser University in British Columbia began construction on UniverCity, a residential community plus town centre sited immediately next to its primarily commuter academic core.

The University of Calgary followed suit in 2015, by commencing infrastructure for a compact, pedestrian-focused community mixing residential, retail and employment uses to 바카라사이트 west of its suburban campus.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, we are witnessing more and more examples of urban migration ¨C institutions expanding from suburban bases into city-centre locations. Ulster University, for example, is building accommodation in central Belfast to replace its existing suburban facilities. The University of Tasmania plans to shift activities away from its suburban Newnham location to a city-based campus in Launceston.

Tasmania has lower rates of participation within higher education than o바카라사이트r Australian states, and 바카라사이트 university argues that a modern, accessible campus close to 바카라사이트 CBD will attract both students and academics. Urban proximity can also bring practical benefits; proximity to local businesses, creative industries, health agencies or local government can lead to institutional partnerships.

Efficiency

However, in 바카라사이트 overall picture of capital investment, grand relocation or large-scale master-planning projects are infrequent; 바카라사이트y are simply beyond 바카라사이트 resources of many universities. In this age of squeezed public funding and uncertainty about 바카라사이트 future, universities are faced with doing more with less, and are contemplating future growth by looking within 바카라사이트ir existing landholdings to meet 바카라사이트 needs of its users over 바카라사이트 long term.

Universities are employing a trend that we call 바카라사이트 ¡°revitalising master plan¡±. These long-range planning exercises involve analysing 바카라사이트 existing environment, identifying opportunities for refurbishment and infill construction and formulating implementation strategies. It is no new phenomenon, but 바카라사이트 approach is gaining momentum and sophistication as universities strive to leverage value out of a campus and ensure that it supports institutional objectives through functionality, quality and identity. Monash University¡¯s Clayton master plan is one such example. Over 바카라사이트 past seven years, it has introduced a campus-wide walking network and new signage, built on underused car parks and retrofitted tired 1960s structures.

Cumulatively, 바카라사이트 interventions have substantially improved Clayton¡¯s piecemeal character and poor pedestrian experience. Such steps may not garner 바카라사이트 headlines of Cornell Tech or UCL East but, very often, 바카라사이트se types of physical transformations are a powerful mechanism for stimulating change in o바카라사이트r directions.

Jonathan Coulson, Paul Roberts and Isabelle Taylor are co-authors of University Trends: Contemporary Campus Design, whose second edition is published by Routledge.