University Planning and Architecture: The Search for Perfection by Jonathan Coulson

by Jonathan Coulson

The environment of a university – what we term a campus – has long been the setting for some of history’s most exciting experiments in the design of the built environment. Christopher Wren at Cambridge, Thomas Jefferson at Virginia, Le Corbusier at Harvard, Louis Kahn at Yale and Norman Foster in the calibre of practitioners that have worked for universities is astounding.This book comprehensively documents the worldwide evolution of university design from the Middle Ages to the present day, uncovering the key developments which have shaken the world of campus planning. A series of detailed and highly illustrated case-studies profile universally acclaimed campuses that, through their planning, architecture and landscaping, have succeeded in making positive contributions to the field. Drawing on these examples, the book turns to the strategies behind campus planning in today’s climate.Exploring the importance of themes such as landscape, architecture, place-making and sustainability within university development, the book consolidates the lessons learnt from the rich tradition of campus development to provide a ‘good practice guide’ for anyone concerned with planning environments for higher education

Hardcover

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Tunisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explicitly discussing the history of educational institutions almost all over the world, this book leaves the discretion of what a righteous future of university design entails, upto the reader!
However, case studies should have been dealt with in more detail, sharing more drawings of the same.

[Matt Holbert]

I've read the first section as an ebook at one of the local universities. However, this is not a book that should be read electronically. I'm interested in sharing the purchase price of the hardback with others. I'll read it in a few days and mail it forward to others who commit to sharing the cost. (We can eventually put it in the library of the University system that we build.) Contact me at "theinnclub [at] yahoo.com"

An excerpt:

The concept that the university should be the ideal community in microcosm was as relevant in post-war Britain as it was across the Atlantic.