By Tate Luckey
With the help of Boston firm Sasaki, U of L has unveiled its first renderings of a 20-year campus “master plan”.
The master plan is designed to “incorporate building conditions assessments, space utilization analyses, physical site analyses, and input from the UofL community to provide a comprehensive vision for development, landscape and open space, stormwater management, mobility, parking, and wayfinding”, according to the website.
“Our department sent out an RFP (Request for Proposal) for master planning services in the fall of 2021. We received 12 responses from teams across Kentucky and Sasaki stood out as the best candidate for our campus,” Meg Campbell, the Assistant Vice President of Planning, Design, and Construction said.
“They have a long record of successful master plans for campuses across the country and specifically campuses that match ours in size, location, and population.”
The premise behind any master plan is that is it a living, breathing document, changing as the university’s needs and funding change. The current intention is to re-assess the plan every 5-10 years with a tool Sasaki has developed to help with any proposed changes.
The renderings shown at the open houses earlier this month have maps of both the Belknap and HSC campuses, specifically highlighting facility renovations and upgrades that improve the student experience. Belknap, for example, primarily adds housing and space to accommodate the growing student population. HSC’s priorities lie in creating a central hub for interprofessional learning opportunities among health sciences schools and colleges, as well as improved simulation labs and student spaces.
“Everyone who engaged in the process was super excited to envision how our physical campuses will grow,” Campbell said.
“The president has been very engaged and immediately embraced the ideas and concepts presented in the plan. She has great insight into what needs to happen and how we go about planning for these efforts that will affect the future of the university for generations to come.”
The team plans to reconvene to develop an implementation plan once the final package is submitted in late September.
If you’d like to see the boards in more detail, you can do so by clicking here.
File Photos // Tate Luckey, The Louisville Cardinal (renderings courtesy of Sasaki)