Learning Resources

Abstract: Chronic disease is rapidly diminishing the health of our nation as rates of serious physical and psychological conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and emotional stress continue to rise. The urban agricultural movement is one strategy that has demonstrated promise in combating the increasing costs of chronic disease related to poor health behaviors. A half-acre urban farm is developed on a medical university campus and thrives in spite of an uncertain economic climate and skepticism among some stakeholders. Details related to planning, programming, and sustainability are described and successes as well as challenges are highlighted in this case study that might serve as a template for others seeking to develop campus gardens.

Abstract: Over the course of two years, The New School, a New York City university established in 1919 by philosopher John Dewey and other prominent Progressive Era scholars, partnered with the Stevens Institute of Technology, a private research university in Hoboken, New Jersey, founded in 1870. The partnering universities entered—and were selected as one of 20 finalists of—a biannual, international competition among higher education institutions to design and build an energy-efficient house. Typically, the competition draws significant public attention because of its focus on showcasing innovative technologies to advance energy savings. (All 20 finalist houses—this time, including the New School–Stevens “Empowerhouse”—are displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC.) As well, the competition spurs innovation among students and provides an extraordinary “real-world” educational experience. Five of us who worked on this project discuss the challenges and benefits of an inter-institutional approach that also centered on collaboration with multiple community partners including Habitat for Humanity of Washington, DC, several DC government agencies, and community-based organizations in the DC neighborhood of Deanwood, where the competition house would ultimately be relocated and reconstructed as a two-family Habitat for Humanity residence. The project involved more than 200 students over a multiyear period working on and employing their academic preparation in areas including community engagement, advocacy, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, environmental policy, sustainability management, fashion design, lighting design, organizational change management, urban policy, environmental studies, architecture, and product design.

Abstract: Converging crises of climate destabilization, environmental deterioration, rising inequity, and economic turmoil call for extraordinary responses by organizations and institutions at all levels. Oberlin College, Oberlin City School District, and the City of Oberlin have launched a series of projects that join the many strands of sustainability including urban revitalization, green development, advanced energy technology, sustainable agriculture and forestry, green jobs, and education into an integrated response that serves as a model for others around the world who wish to pursue a more sustainable, integrated model for the design of a post-carbon economy.

Abstract: In this article we discuss the organizational impact of an academic unit’s move from an old adapted structure to a new building constructed specifically to meet its needs. We emphasize the interaction of user agency and building influence as the faculty sought ways to enact group values and goals in a new space that promoted some and frustrated others. In conclusion we discuss specific examples of the interaction between agency and influence and propose steps that planners and users might take prior to and following a building transition to better promote congruence between the purposes of academic units and the spaces that support them.

Abstract: The University of Utah administration introduced a major initiative to ensure that each student has an opportunity for a transformative educational experience. In response to this challenge, the Department of Geology and Geophysics developed a prototype for a transformative educational environment in the new Frederick Albert Sutton building. This built environment is designed to engage, inspire, and teach, and its accomplishments set a high bar for campus design. The result is a new paradigm for campus planning. This article traces the pioneering Sutton Geology and Geophysics Building as an exemplary model that uses two tangible design elements to support an outreach vision: academic branding and showcasing of the academic discipline. The reactions to the Sutton Building and the documented outcomes are the measure of ultimate success. The second half of the article presents the framework used to create a transformative educational environment, applicable to other campus buildings of any size or academic discipline. A road map of seven steps leads designers and academics to understand the creative vision and presents methods for implementing and repeating successes that change the educational environment through innovative campus design.

Abstract: This article describes a renovation/addition project for Newcomb Hall, the student union facility on the grounds of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, that is nearing completion. Showcasing sustainable preservation practices involved in improving an existing structure, this article highlights cooperative efforts among students, faculty, architects, and contractors to upgrade a 1950s-era building with 21st-century technologies. Newcomb Hall’s interior has expanded with new entrances, increased square footage, and state-of-the-art communication and code-safety components that will continue to serve a host of university activities and related organizations. Theater and dining facilities have also been upgraded. Further, building functions have continued throughout this multifaceted project. Maintaining operations during the renovations resulted in time and cost savings and could provide a model for other colleges and universities pursuing similar projects.

Abstract: In an effort to remain relevant and responsive to evolving developments in higher education, academic libraries are transforming existing spaces to meet the current and future needs of their students. By incorporating the specific programmatic elements of a learning commons with a focus on the institution’s unique demographics and goals, collegiate libraries will be better positioned as collaborative and flexible interdisciplinary resources. In this article, Bond Architects describes the process and outcomes of a library planning study conducted with St. Louis Community College’s David L. Underwood Library on the Florissant Valley campus.