University Planning and Architecture: The Search for Perfection

The environment of a university – what we term a campus – has long been the setting for some of history’s most exciting experiments in the design of the built environment. Christopher Wren at Cambridge, Thomas Jefferson at Virginia, Le Corbusier at Harvard, Louis Kahn at Yale and Norman Foster in Berlin: the calibre of practitioners that have worked for universities is astounding.

This book comprehensively documents the worldwide evolution of university design from the Middle Ages to the present day, uncovering the key developments which have shaken the world of campus planning. A series of detailed and highly illustrated case-studies profile universally acclaimed campuses that, through their planning, architecture and landscaping, have succeeded in making positive contributions to the field. Drawing on these examples, the book turns to the strategies behind campus planning in today’s climate.

Exploring the importance of themes such as landscape, architecture, place-making and sustainability within university development, the book consolidates the lessons learnt from the rich tradition of campus development to provide a ‘good practice guide’ for anyone concerned with planning environments for higher education