This document discusses the role of the public realm on university campuses. It provides background on the history of UK universities and challenges faced by campuses. Universities have addressed issues through masterplans that consolidate buildings, improve connectivity and the public realm. Benefits of investing in the public realm include creating identity, supporting well-being and reducing environmental impacts. The document analyzes case studies of public realm projects at universities, including improvements that enhanced sustainability, stakeholder engagement and regeneration of surrounding areas.

1. LUC |
Prepared by LUC
The Role of the Public
Realm on the Emerging
University Campus
Place North West
Tom Jonson
07.11.2019

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Introduction
▪ The History of UK universities
▪ Some of the issues surrounding different types of
university campuses
▪ How and why universities have adapted and changed
▪ Importance the public realm has played in the
emerging campus
▪ Case studies
Oxford Brookes University

3. History of UK Universities
Oxford University

4. ▪ ‘Ancient’ Universities eg. Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow
Oxford University

5. ▪ Redbrick Universities founded in major industrial cities
of England in the 19th century
Victoria Building, Liverpool University

6. ▪ Plate-glass Universities which were given the royal
charter between 1963 and 1992
Lasdun Teaching Wall, University of East Anglia

7. ▪ Former polytechnics which became fully fledged universities
under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992
De Montfort University, Leicester

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Some of the issues surrounding University Campuses
and City Universities
Physical separations – Manchester Metropolitan University
▪ Over dominance of car parking
▪ Conflicting architectural typologies
▪ Poor connectivity with existing settlement/town
▪ Physical separation between different parts of the
campus
▪ Quality of the public realm
▪ Ageing infrastructure

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Why have Universities responded so vehemently to
these challenges
University of Sheffield Student Village
▪ Cost of maintaining ageing infrastructure has become
increasingly unviable
▪ Consolidating the campus is seen as an effective way of
managing and running university campuses
▪ Expectation amongst students has increased as a result
of increasing tuition fees
▪ Increasing competition amongst universities often
through league tables

10. The development of the campus masterplan
has emerged as the main tool that
Universities have adopted to respond to
these challenges. It has allowed them to:
▪ Plan for infrastructure improvements
How have Universities responded to these challenges
University of Northampton Masterplan

11. ▪ Create a strategy for rationalising car
parking
Manchester Metropolitan University

12. ▪ Consolidate campus buildings
University of Salford

13. ▪ Improve the quality of the public realm
University of Salford

14. University of Salford

15. ▪ Initiating a building replacement
programme
University of Sheffield

16. Universities have recognized the
transformative impact of investing in the
public realm. Some of the benefits of
informed and considered public realm
include:
▪ Creating a legible external realm that
students, staff and visitors can easily
navigate
Role of the public realm
Manchester Metropolitan University

17. ▪ Creating identity and a sense of place
University of Manchester

18. ▪ Creating an appropriate setting for key
university buildings
University of Manchester

19. ▪ Improved social cohesion and building
stronger communities
Manchester Metropolitan University

20. ▪ Improved resilience to climate change
such as flooding/temperature change
▪ Increased biodiversity and nature in the
city centre universities
Other benefits of the public realm and particularly green
infrastructure improvements for city universities
Birmingham University, Green Heart

21. ▪ Improved health and well-being through
improved physical activity and contact
with nature
▪ Reduced air/noise pollution
Birmingham University, Green Heart

22. Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane
Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane

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▪ Part of the connecting Leicester initiative, which sought to connect peripheral residential areas to
the city centre
▪ Former road that connects Narborough Road residential area to the city centre
▪ Improved connectivity, promoting active travel as a key aspiration of the project
▪ External realm budget was £2million with a construction period of 10 months
▪ Located within the heart of Leicester De Montfort University
Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane

24. Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane

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▪ Rain gardens replace positive drainage system saving 2 ½ Olympic sized swimming pools worth of water
from being discharged into adjacent River Soar per year
▪ Aspiration to retain all materials on site using road arisings as a drainage medium
▪ Reduction in materials being brought onto site by treating soil under road surface with green waste to
create a manufactured topsoil
▪ 10% increase in cycles and pedestrians travelling into the city centre from Narborough Road
▪ Use of insitu concrete paving allowed for phased hand over and short construction period minimising
impact on university teaching schedule
Added value provided by the project

26. Rain Garden Detail, Mill Lane

27. Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane

28. Leicester De Montfort University, Mill Lane

29. Oxford Brookes University

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Oxford Brookes University
▪ 2.6ha external realm to support transformational campus development
▪ Located in Headington, 1 mile to the east of Oxford City Centre
▪ 4 year construction period on a very constrained site
▪ Large multidisciplinary team including :
Turner Townsend – Project Manager / Cost Consultant
Architect – Design Engine
Landscape Architects – LUC
Engineers – Rambolt
Contractor – Laing O’Rourke

31. Oxford Brookes University

32. Oxford Brookes University

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▪ Simple adaptable spaces with seamless flow between internal and external spaces
▪ Inter-relationship between landscape elements, tree drainage attenuation and passive heating system
▪ Tree pit used as surface water attenuation
▪ Locally sourced stone acts as permeable pavement
▪ Integration of seating / steps / lighting as a single element in landscape
▪ Close collaboration with the university and students. LUC gave a series of lectures giving students
experience of a live construction project
Added value provided by the project

34. Central Courtyard, Oxford Brookes University

35. Public Plazza, Oxford Brookes University

36. University of Northampton

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University of Northampton
▪ 27ha Brownfield site on banks of the River Nene formerly occupied by a distribution centre and
power station 0.5 miles south of Northampton
▪ Key aims were to use the project as a catalyst for further regeneration, consolidate learning
spaces into a central hub, consolidate 2 out of town campuses into a centralised campus and
improve connectivity with the existing town centre
▪ Large multidisciplinary team including :
Project Manager – MACE
Architects – MCW, CPMG and Stride Treglown
Landscape Architects – LUC
Engineers – ARUP
Cost Consultants – Turner and Townsend
Contractor – Bowmer and Kirkland, Kier

38. University of Northampton

39. University of Northampton

40. University of Northampton

41. University of Northampton

42. University of Northampton

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▪ 1 million tonnes of contaminated materials retained and treated on site
▪ Only 10% site occupied by buildings so external realm and landscape very important
▪ New bridges helped connect campus to new marina, Becket’s Park and surrounding community
▪ Multifunctional landscape providing ecology, contact with nature, teaching and research opportunities as
well as physical activities
▪ Extensive stakeholder and public consultation
Added value provided by the public realm

44. landuse.co.uk
Thank you for listening
Tom Jonson
0161 537 5962
Director of Landscape Architecture & Urban Design
tom.jonson@landuse.co.uk