The university campus has a distinctive spatial typology. Established as a micro-city, these self-contained environments are subject to their own rules and systems. They are designed as a deviation from the cities that host it to allow for the growth and proliferation of knowledge outside the status-quo. Centered around the transfer of information, academic centers are becoming increasingly relevant to urbanism. Campuses and their host cities evolve to mimic each other's structure, forming opportunities for urban renewal.
The label “college town” emerged from the growing phenomenon of settlements and economies sprouting around university campuses. These towns tend to be dominated by a student population, however, they host opportunities for employment related to the university and its fields of study. Colleges as aged as Cambridge birthed settlements in this manner, its dispersed structure determining the current plan of the city. With time, the urban fabric grew enmeshed with the clustered colleges to create a network of knowledge. The symbiosis between campus and city defined the culture of the region through an architectural style, fashion trends, and social spaces.
The foundation of an educational institution in a developing region comes with considerable social and economic growth. The campus demands housing, consumer activities, services, transportation hubs and leisure spaces, thereby expanding infrastructure-related growth. Educational campuses are firmly planted in their communities. Suburban campuses are usually the dominating institution in the area while urban campuses exist alongside other institutions, organizations, and neighborhoods.
Aware of their positions as stewards of local communities, educational institutions are engaging with modern urban planning. In Europe, universities are reformulating their position in society, taking on reorganizations and expansions of their physical structures. In Asia, open and interactive university campuses are being set up alongside restricted access institutions. A debate on the exclusivity of universities from their local communities continues to define new developments in this domain.
The advantages of integrating universities into their host cities can be seen in the structure of colleges themselves. The scale of operation of campuses - on architecture and urbanism simultaneously - enable them to meet human social needs in a way cities struggle to. Rather than existing as an isolated “city within a city”, the extension of the campus fabric into its surroundings proves beneficial to cultural and economic development.
As a positive practice of urban planning, city structures can be designed synonymous with the framework of campuses. The fundamental differentiator between institutions and cities is scale. Universities are designed at a human-scale, naturally facilitating relationships and connections. As opposed to the car-centric layouts of towns and cities, college campuses prioritize walkability and streets as public spaces.
The social capital of campuses is enhanced by the proximity of houses, work places, and amenities. Translating the concept to cities, mixed-use buildings contribute to the walkability of a place, while efficiently utilizing available area. Such projects integrate the campus and community, providing opportunities for diverse populations to access them. Density-rich and vertically scalable buildings reduce urban sprawl and fuse into the neighborhood’s existing fabric.
Many universities are built around a primary corridor where the student body and neighborhood coexist. Such corridors and edge conditions facilitate growth and connection through the transfer of ideas and resources. Public spaces in this threshold support the correlative and mutually beneficial relationship between the institution and society. Programs that address both the needs of the university and the neighborhood- such as affordable housing, businesses, and recreational spaces - encourage interaction and help integrate the “micro-city” within the macro-city.
University campuses are phenomenal at imbibing a sense of community amongst its residences by protecting its identity. Character is defined by the university’s history, culture, branding, and landmarks - just like a city’s. Citizens and academic communities find representation through their heritage and location. Cities and their universities share histories built on academic triumph and innovation. The common identity helps bolster the integration between campus and city.
Opportunities for maintaining the essence of the “univer-city” can appear in the form of historical preservation and adaptive reuse of historic and culturally relevant sites. This can include retaining its scale, look-and-feel, and promoting education on the shared legacy.
The relationship between the campus and its host city offers a complex microcosm in which ideas and connections can evolve. The university campus is not the autonomous entity as it seems, but a catalyst of progress in urban planning and human society. Through forming a relational value between a campus and its urban setting, college cities become vibrant, human-scaled centers of knowledge.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on February 13, 2023.
