Master Plans across North America

The York University Keele Campus has seen substantial change over its 50-year history.

The initial 1963 Master Plan, by renowned landscape architects Sasaki Associates, envisioned a pastoral college plan with meandering roadways, situated in the midst of agricultural fields.

1963 York University Master Plan (credit: Sasaki Associates)

IBI Group updated the Master Plan in 1988 by laying a grid overtop of the campus to improve wayfinding.  This more intuitive form was intended to help integrate the campus into its increasingly urban surroundings.

1988 York University Master Plan (credit: York University)

University campuses around the world have unique factors determining their exact form. However, many of these innovative strategies can provide inspiration while we consider the needs of the updated Keele Campus Master Plan.

Fredrick Law Olmsted, an American landscape architect, in many respects paved the way for University campus planning policies. Between 1857 and 1950, Olmstead and his associated designed an astonishing 355 school and college campuses.

Frederick Law Olmsted (credit: Frederick Law Olmsted foundation)

Between 1857 and 1950, Olmsted and his successors designed 355 school and college campuses. Some of the most famous are:

•         Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island (1900-06)

•         Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (1867-73)

•         Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (1925-65)

•         Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1925-31)

•         Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

•         Stanford University, Palo Alto, California (1886-1914)

•         College of California, Berkeley, California (1865)

•         University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (1901-1910)

•         University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana (1929-32)

•         University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (1902-20)

•         Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (1874-81)

Duke University Master Plan (credit: Duke Architecture)

University of Idaho Master Plan (credit: University of Idaho)

Of particular interest are the University of California Berkeley and Stanford University plans. Originally designed by Olmsted, these campuses include extensive park lands and open spaces – much like York University. They value the integration of built and natural landscapes and work to enhance the University community’s connection to its environment.

Stanford University Master Plan (credit: Stanford University)

Updated Stanford University Master Plan (credit: Stanford University)

Updated University of California Berkeley Master Plan (credit: UC Berkeley)

Of a more urban nature are nearby University of Toronto and Ryerson University, and Yale University in the US. Both are seamlessly integrated into the fabric of the city, blurring the distinction between academic, public and commercial lands.

University of Toronto Master Plan (credit: University of Toronto)

Yale University Master Plan (credit: Yale University)

With the urbanizing nature of the neighbourhoods surrounding how do you envision the Keele Campus changing? What Master Plan above do you think is most congruent with the needs of York University?