A vibrant campus in the green periphery

POLO Urbanism was invited to design a new development framework for the campus—one where readability, spatial comfort and synergies help steer the unpredictable programmatic needs. In a context where prevailing investment mechanisms diverge from existing development models, we establish a clear sense of purpose and a robust implementation strategy that invites further amplification.

The existing campus is marked by contradictions. Building clusters of variable appearance and quality are set within an idyllic park, peppered with hedge rows, tree-lined paths and green amphitheatres. Motorised traffic penetrates deep into the campus, creating awkward residual spaces and hindering wayfinding for pedestrians and cyclists. There is a distinct lack of meaningful interaction between buildings and landscape. 

With an energy transition high on the agenda and a belief that landscape is more than just a beautiful backdrop, a multidisciplinary design team set out to put this university campus on a path towards a sustainable future. 

A Unifying Framework

We aim to re-establish the spatial clarity and continuity of the campus which has been watered down through the superposition of successive masterplans, disparate in nature and often poorly implemented. We need a strong gesture to unify the fragmented space which also features a historical fort, sport infrastructures and a university hospital with research facilities.

By articulating a principal circulation spine in north-south direction, we tie together miscellaneous parts of the campus. This axis connects existing routes and finds synergies with the future district heating system. It brings liveliness, safety and connectivity to the campus but also across its boundaries, filling in a missing link of the regional bike network.

Complementing the central spine’s linearity we introduce two recreational loops. While the spine links up the main building clusters, the loops offer detours and opportunities to explore the campus’s natural surroundings. They connect to regional recreational routes, their materiality adapting to the character of the landscape they cross.

This framework injects clarity into the fragmented campus space. Additionally, the cultural heritage—consisting of both buildings and landscape elements—is strengthened as a characteristic feature that provides visual orientation within the campus and defines its unique ambience.

Strategic plans and image quality plans provide quidance

Based on the above framework, with circulation and cultural heritage as organising components in the landscape, we devise a transition scenario for the campus. This implies rethinking the whole approach to mobility, as well as reappraising the built relics of the past and the existing green-blue landscape. Considering these elements both in their interconnectedness and their autonomy leads to a clear formulation of ambitions—to be turned into reality by external experts teaming up with the internal infrastructure team of the university.

We propose a radical modal shift for this peripheral campus where cars are omnipresent. By locating multimodal gates along its boundary, we give pedestrians and cyclists priority on the inner-campus circulation network. This strategy creates the breathing space needed to re-organise the landscape with respect for its inherent organising principles as well as its maintenance needs. We turn the voids within the park into biodiverse green chambers that invite a multitude of users. The adjacent waterbodies are given increased visibility and prominence in accordance with their crucial role in on-site water management. 

Based on a careful analysis of the existing building ensembles and their fundamental qualities, we put forward strategies to meet unpredictable programmatic needs. Simultaneously we acknowledge that complete built uniformity is unrealistic and probably unwished for. Hence we opt to define the campus’ image quality primarily through its public space. In collaboration with the university we select natural, stimulating materials and elements that create a refreshing yet familiar ambience.