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Campus Planning and Architecture: Memoirs from Seven American Universities
Abstract
Campus planning and architecture present unique opportunities for demonstrating and popularizing contemporary tendencies in architecture and urban planning. A visit to several American universities during the summer of the year 2005 presented an opportunity to observe and experience current trends in campus planning and architecture. The seven American universities used as case studies are the City (UMKC). The location and campus plans of these universities were analysed while their architectural character is illustrated. Campus specific architecture such as student hostels, religious buildings and libraries were used to characterize the universities. Landmark buildings were used to illustrate architectural tendencies and these include the Harvard Carpenter Centre for the Visual Arts, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Architecture and Planning, the IIT University Centre, the MIT Stata Centre and the Stowers Medical Research Centre. An analysis of landscaping, traditional architecture and conservation as well as parking and transportation was also carried out. These American universities were compared with African universities including the Ahmadu, Kumasi. It was concluded that architecture and urban design contribute immensely to the success and popularity of universities. It was recommended that universities should invest in dynamic master plans to enhance architectural character and encourage landmark buildings that popularize significant tendencies in architecture.
... The situation seems dissimilar in many developing countries. With special attention on Nigeria in particular, the trend seems to be that HEI have robust planning requirements and supervision units (Ogunsote, 2006), but the immediate surrounding areas are constant reminder of environmental problems besieging developing countries towns and cities. Some problems identified in the literature includes pressure of population explosion which increases the intensity of social and economic activities, overcrowding, lack of adequate building setback, inadequate landscape enrichment elements, poor sanitary environment, uncontrolled land use and low level of physical planning implementation (Basorun, 2015;Momoh, Opaluwah, & Albeera, 2018). ...
Urban land use planning and control is a tool for the management of urban growth and development in cities. The aim of the study was to assess setback requirements and landscape enrichment items in South Gate Neighbourhood of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, with a view to providing data that can serve as reference towards improving physical planning implementation in the area and similar neighbourhood around universities in South West Nigeria. Survey using structured questionnaire and unstructured interview methods were used to collect primary data for the research. Results from the interview also served as input for the Survey. Traders within the building setback and layby opined that proximity to buyers is a motivation for using makeshift stalls in the area. Perception of adult occupants on hard and soft landscape elements within the area was also assessed. The results of the statistical analysis showed that only 37% of a simple random sample of 127 buildings complied with the minimum requirement of 4.5–6 m setback in a medium density development.31.5% of occupants were dissatisfied with available landscape elements in FUTA south gate environs. More stringent enforcement of neighbourhood planning and development control regulations by governmental agencies is recommended, with a view that compliance to building setback and provision of landscape enrichment items may increase liveability and satisfaction of occupants in the area.
... A particularly interesting aspect was the attempt by architects to design buildings more compatible with the Nigerian climate, using mostly low building technology, local building materials, and distributed ventilation, air-conditioning and plumbing systems. While some designs were successful, many of these buildings were architectural disasters, and the university landscape became dominated by poorly designed, badly constructed and infrequently maintained structures (Ogunsote & Prucnal-Ogunsote, 2006). ...
This study analysed the evolution of choice of optimal external finishes and roofing in Nigerian universities. The study traced the evolution of Nigerian architecture through the historical style and traditional architecture, to the colonial, modern and late modern styles; and to the postmodern trend. The paper further documented the characteristics of the architecture found in Nigerian universities, and the evolution of choice of external finishes and roofing in these universities. It highlighted the challenges faced by architects over time, and the responses, innovations and failures in the quest to optimise choice of external finishes and roofing. The methodology adopted for the study comprised mainly field studies and literature review. The field studies covered representative buildings such as senate buildings, lecture theatres, auditoria and faculty buildings; and these were analysed in several representative universities. A comparative analysis of these universities revealed certain trends that gave a national perspective to the problem of sub-optimization of choice of external finishes and roofing in the universities, irrespective of age, ownership structure or specialization. These trends include correlation between level of funding and quality of finishes, poor maintenance leading to roof leakage and staining of walls, construction of pitched roofs on existing flat roofs to solve leakage problems, successful use of indigenous finishes, and slow but gradual adoption of modern construction materials. The study concluded that the quality of exterior finishes and roofing tended to be determined by the level of available funding and the state of the national economy. There was propensity for regular award of petty maintenance and painting contracts while the scarcity of highly skilled and experienced craftsmen for installation or construction of high-quality finishes discouraged the use of these finishes. The study recommended better adaptation to climate, the use of materials that age without decaying, use of organic and sustainable materials, lifecycle approach to estimating cost of finishes, and increased use of high-energy materials for cladding.
... A particularly interesting aspect was the attempt by architects to design buildings more compatible with the Nigerian climate, using mostly low building technology, local building materials, and distributed ventilation, air-conditioning and plumbing systems. While some designs were successful, many of these buildings were architectural disasters, and the university landscape became dominated by poorly designed, badly constructed and infrequently maintained structures (Ogunsote & Prucnal-Ogunsote 2006). ...
Visual quality assessment plays a major role in determining the visual sustainability of the physical environment. Visual sustainability underscores the visual relationship between people and their environment. Several studies have been carried out on the subject of visual quality in architecture from other parts of the world. However, not much is seen on record in the Nigerian context. There are also concerns that there is a decline in the visual quality of university buildings. In the light of foregoing, it is essential to understand in detail the visual quality of university buildings not only from the perspective of built environment practitioners but also from the general public as potential users of the buildings. In this respect, the senate buildings of selected universities in Southwest Nigeria were selected for the study given the central role such buildings play in university administration and interaction with a variety of users. However, the senate building of Covenant University Ota is the focus of this paper. The study was aimed at identifying the architectural elements on the Covenant University Senate Building facade to understand public perception for future applications in architectural education, design, and overall visual sustainability. A cross-sectional survey was adopted for the study, and a stratified random sampling technique used in selecting respondents. In Total, 577 valid responses were collected from respondents in ten selected universities in Southwest Nigeria and analysed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, and mean score on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Photograph of the Covenant University senate building façade was attached to the questionnaire to aid the visual assessment. Qualitative research involving the use of an interview guide preceded the survey research. The result from the study revealed that façade shape and height were perceived as the most interesting in the Covenant University senate building façade attractiveness. The study implied the need for equipping of designers on the perception of building design elements for adequate facade conceptualisation in designing. This, in essence, will enhance the attractiveness of the university senate building façade and also impact the entire campus visual sustainability.
Alanna Stang is Executive Editor of ID Magazine. Christopher Hawthorne is architecture critic for Slate and a frequent contributor to the New York Times.
The International Style in Nigeria: Technological and Cultural Bridge -or Disaster
- B Prucnal-Ogunsote
Prucnal-Ogunsote, B. (2002). The International Style in Nigeria: Technological and
Cultural Bridge -or Disaster? Journal of Environmental Technology, 1:1, 102-114.
School of Environmental Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure.
Prucnal-Ogunsote, B. (2005). Reflection of Culture and Climate in the Vernacular and
Table of Contents
Abstract.
Reflection of Culture and Climate in the Vernacular and Table of Contents Abstract
- B Prucnal-Ogunsote
Prucnal-Ogunsote, B. (2005). Reflection of Culture and Climate in the Vernacular and
Table of Contents
Abstract.
An Introduction to Building Climatology -A Basic Course for Architecture Students
- O O Ogunsote
Ogunsote, O. O. (1993). An Introduction to Building Climatology -A Basic Course for
Architecture Students. Ahmadu Bello University Press, Zaria.
Ife University in Colour: A Panorama of Africa's Most Beautiful Campus
- R A Olaniyan
Olaniyan, R. A. (1985). Ife University in Colour: A Panorama of Africa's Most Beautiful
Campus. KNP Group Ltd, Redditch and London.
Computer Assessment of Architectural Design Habitat International: A Journal for the Study of Human Settlements
- O O Ogunsote
Ogunsote, O. O. (1991). Computer Assessment of Architectural Design. Habitat
International: A Journal for the Study of Human Settlements, 15:4, 1-16, Pergamon
Press, London.
Classification of Nigerian Architecture
- B Prucnal-Ogunsote
Prucnal-Ogunsote, B. (2001). Classification of Nigerian Architecture. AARCHES
Journal. 1:6, 48-56, Akure.
The Stata Centre: A Self-Guided Tour
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2004). The Stata Centre: A Self-Guided Tour.