Campus og studiemiljø - Bygningsstyrelsen

The universities’ activities can also be communicated via art. The
University of Copenhagen’s Frederiksberg Campus and the Holmen
Campus for the artistic educational programmes in Copenhagen
have just finished the preparation of art plans that integrate art on
campus. The art plans describe a joint idea for the role of art within
the campus area and aims at communicating and making professional
competencies visible. The work of art also gives the public a
reason for visiting campus.
The universities are met by demands for greater openness and relevance
to the surrounding world. Naturally, this places new demands
on building functions and on campus itself, and it makes it necessary
to view university planning on an even larger scale than before.
One tangible challenge when turning mono-functional campus
areas multi-functional is that nowadays, universities often do not
have the authority to house functions that go beyond actual university
functions. This is a tradition that is also seen in other parts
of Europe. It is necessary to work on making it possible to integrate
kindergartens, residential areas or shops on campus. At any rate,
contemporary physical campus planning must be worked out in interplay
with the surrounding city as well as its functions and users.
A larger and more complex scale than before.
Physical planning used as a strategic tool
Modern universities have a written strategy and policy for the physical
study environment and campus. And they act accordingly. The
study shows that students and staff experience the study environment
at the universities that have clearly phrased a strategy and
policy for the physical campus environment as more attractive than
those universities that do not have a strategy. Most often, the strategy
is an expression of the management’s support and recognition of
physical planning as a part of a management toolbox.
Lancaster University is situated outside large city areas and therefore
it has to make a special effort to attract students. A couple of years
ago, the university decided to invest in a programme for significant
upgrading of the building mass. The university has risen considerably
in British university rankings for its good study environment, and
today, its marketing focuses on an appealing social environment
supported by a good physical framework for both study and accommodation
on campus.
Several universities have acknowledged that it takes extra manpower
to convert physical strategies into action. In many cases,
the strategy cannot simply be implemented as an extra task in the
everyday building service. Competences completely different to
those normally available in the service department may be required.
At ETH Zürich, for instance, a group has been established to ensure
and manage the implementation of a large master plan. The group
includes both a researcher with a background in physics and a communication
consultant.
CBS in Denmark has written a strategy for the physical conditions,
and at the same time, CBS uses design as a strategic tool for campus
strategi / strategy
upgrading. According to CBS, they spend a tad more on design and
planning because they recognise its significance. 1 This focus is clearly
noticeable when you visit the Frederiksberg Campus, which appears
inviting and modern, in keeping with the signal CBS wishes to send.
Inspiration may be found in e.g. the way in which the Ørestad Nord
Gruppen 2 uses physical planning in the strategic development of an
area in Copenhagen. This is an interest group whose secretariat arranges
large and small activities around the city area, which also includes
the University of Copenhagen. Ørestad Nord Gruppen targets
local residents as well as private and public companies in the new
city district. The group counts on both architecture and communication
capacities and experiments with e.g. how to utilise temporary
city spaces or how to set up sports and spare time activities.
To several universities in the study, the challenge seems to be that
physical planning – as in many other types of organisation – is not
generally considered and accepted as a development tool, although
focus on this is increasing. This also means that funds are not always
allocated for the implementation of the strategies. It takes resources
and manpower to create and realise a holistic plan.
This is evident both on a large scale, as in the ETH example, and on
a small scale. At some Danish universities, managers or employees
with a background in architecture serve as alert, aesthetic eyes. They
move around campus and take responsibility for ensuring that e.g.
interior design, lighting and signposting work as intended. Their
presence also ensures that the ideas behind great strategies are communicated
professionally to the users.
Inclusion of municipality and local environment in the
planning process
The modern university is in close dialogue with its surroundings. It
needs the support and goodwill of the local community to complete
its plans. Studies show that the planning process is changing. Formerly,
it was common to prepare master plans that indicated possible
construction fields, heights and building volume for the coming
maybe 20 or 30 years. This made it possible to incorporate the master
plan into the municipality’s district plan once and for all.
Today, however, master plans are often replaced by holistic or visionary
plans with less specific frameworks such as guidelines, and with
a shorter lifespan, e.g. 10-15 years. This combination of a gradual
change in the planning method and a shorter time limit means that
more and more often, universities may need to request changes
to e.g. the municipalities’ district plans in order to complete their
building works. This requires a continual and constructive dialogue
between the universities and the authorities. Naturally, this does not
just apply to a local level, as university planning to a higher degree
should also be considered at a regional and a national level in order
to ensure a holistic cohesion. Traffic planning is a good example of
this. The establishment of a new metro ring is thought of in connection
with campus planning, so that it will not only serve residential
areas but also large university areas.
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