The University of the West Indies

Highlights

• Site – 80 acres
• The campus spine seamlessly connects the existing
  and new campus.
• The student spine weaves through the campus
  connecting all programs.
• The sports and wellness district provides year-round
  recreation activities.
• Diverse landscapes enable indoor-outdoor learning,
  recreation, and stormwater management.
• The campus fosters holistic development and access
  to diverse amenities.
• Sustainability and resiliency strategies underpin
  campus growth and development.
• Funding is secured for phase 1 to begin in 2024.

Perspectives

The establishment of the Five Islands Campus (FIC) is in response to the need to increase access to tertiary and
higher education in the islands comprising the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), a nine-member
grouping of islands spread across the Eastern Caribbean.

As a new campus, the 12-month planning process required extensive space planning, consultation, and
coordination across multiple internal and external entities. The FIC team organized stakeholder engagements
within the existing campus and in shared community spaces. These dialogues, which included community
leaders and the former prime minister, led to the demarcation of a site adjacent to the campus constructed for
a K-12 school that would have access to campus facilities and provide the full spectrum of education to the
island. To test ideas emerging from the design process, the FIC team leveraged the existing facility to pilot and
evaluate proposed learning environment configurations and collaboration spaces. These tests helped inform plan
refinements and the development of a detailed brief for phase 1 implementation.

The plan advances five key goals: support academic and student success; create a diverse and inclusive
campus environment; integrate the campus with the Five Islands Village; promote community building, wellness,
and placemaking; and exemplify resilience and sustainability. Academic buildings are designed to promote
collaborations with small businesses and entrepreneurs on the island, and the library, student center, and
recreation and wellness center are considered amenities for the broader community. The landscape vision
channels the island’s unique ecology, habitat, and climate to create a park-like environment anchored by a
meandering pedestrian spine that connects all programs. A diverse network of quads, courtyards, plazas, arcades,
and a restored stream corridor provide shelter and shade and create microclimates, places for play, respite,
socializing, and experiential learning. The open spaces on campus and the stream corridor also form shared
community landscapes for adjacent residents.

The master plan aims to set a benchmark for other UWI campuses by including lower operational expenditure
through compact building arrangements, increased density, ease of expansion, inclusivity, energy efficiency, and
sustainability

Project Team

Sasaki