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All open spaces will contribute to an overall network of open spaces tying all
elements of the campus together. An organized open space system will extend
the learning experience beyond the classroom and better engage students in
their environs, both man-made and natural. Within the core campus, existing
open spaces will be enhanced and the extension of formal arrangements of
buildings and spaces will create new ones. In the outer campus, especially in
athletic, recreational, and support areas, less formal, more picturesque open
spaces will prevail.
The open space system consists of formal and informal, landscaped open
spaces (quads, lawns, plazas, courtyards, recreational park-like settings, and
athletic fields), streetscapes and paths, and natural areas. In the academic core
of campus, the major open space is a north-south greenway, linked to other
spaces in traditional, mostly formal, geometric relationships. Existing and future
buildings will embrace and support the design, use, and safety of these open
spaces through their arrangement and massing.
The open space network ties the various parts of the campus together physically,
offering opportunities for students, staff, and visitors to interact comfortably and
safely outdoors. Natural areas and wildlife habitats will afford educational
opportunities that cannot be substituted indoors. Further, the overall open space
system will help balance the physical development of the campus and mitigate its
effects on surrounding natural systems.
To capitalize on opportunities for infill development and to ensure efficient
expansion, the Campus-Wide Vision encourages pedestrian activity. The vision
also supports bicycle use and (future) transit accessibility, while alleviating the
burden of dedicating significant areas of land throughout the campus for shortterm
parking. By encouraging walking and bicycling for general accessibility, the
university will further support active lifestyles essential to full intellectual and
social growth.
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