The following planning principles guide the development of the comprehensive physical master plan and set a tone for all physical development on campus. These principles are supported by the Physical Planning Principles of the Board of Regents (rev. 2001) and by the UW-Madison strategic plan goal "to sustain and strengthen our position of preeminence in research and higher education."
A Spectacular Setting
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is privileged to have an extraordinary physical location. Future development should capitalize on our spectacular lakefront setting and wonderful natural areas while preserving and enhancing those environments for future generations. This magnificent natural setting, and the vibrant community in which we live, should continue to provide a stimulating environment for the educational, intellectual, imaginative and philosophical pursuits of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Enhancing Experience of Place
All campus open spaces and buildings should support the University's mission to provide "a learning environment in which faculty, staff and students can discover, examine critically, preserve and transmit the knowledge, wisdom and values that will help insure the survival of this and future generations, and improve the quality of life for all." Chief among our concerns is the acknowledgment that we are creating places for people to come together and share their learning experiences. These places should be designed foremost for the pedestrian, but with respect for the multiple uses and users that they must serve. The Campus Master Plan should promote a clear sense of place, respect the history and diversity of the University, and stimulate the academic and social growth of the University population. The plan should promote renovation, restoration and remodeling of existing facilities whenever possible and practical. The plan should commit to the historic preservation of key buildings and open spaces that make this place a unique learning environment.
Protecting our Environment
The university's support for the environment is found throughout its history from our early ties to John Muir and Aldo Leopold's land ethic to Jens Jenson, Alden Aust and G. William Longenecker who helped shape the grounds of our campus. The university continues to embrace this core value of protecting our environment through its academics, research, culture and physical environment. The Campus Master Plan must continue that tradition through the development of sustainable design guidelines, a commitment to protecting environmentally sensitive areas, and by reducing our physical impact on the land. We embody this environmental consciousness through our built environment, and design and care for the campus ecosystems in thoughtful and responsible ways so that no issue is considered in isolation.
Developing Connections
The Campus Master Plan should support and create diverse interdisciplinary connections between the various academic enterprises to foster our academic mission. Physical connections should also enhance open space, minimize sprawl, and facilitate movement without needing to drive a car. Pedestrian spaces, bicycle routes, transit ways, and the general campus infrastructure should be physically connected to provide efficient and meaningful social linkages. Outdoor pedestrian gathering spaces should be created to foster impromptu as well as formal gatherings for social interaction. The campus buildings and connections between them should fundamentally support the University's strategic mission and the constant "sifting and winnowing" of knowledge.
Edges and Boundaries
The edges of the campus should be clearly delineated and well-defined to create an identifiable and welcoming campus boundary that provides a sense of arrival. The Campus Master Plan should reinforce the gateways and activity centers, both on and off campus, to enhance connectivity and the interface between university and the community. These perimeter spaces should enhance opportunities for resource sharing, collaborative planning and innovative partnerships between the university and its neighbors. No significant changes in our current boundaries are proposed, thus we must "recreate ourselves in place."
Our Regional Community
The university is an integral part of the region's sense of community, economy, and quality of life. The Campus Master Plan should enhance the real and perceived connections and partnerships that are available between the university and the surrounding region and should embody the ever present "life-long learning" that occurs throughout the community. The University's future development should support local and regional planning strategies dealing with growth and development issues, with particular respect to transportation systems planning, economic growth and environmental impacts.
The World Beyond
The "Wisconsin Idea" guides our understanding that the university's mission is to serve the City, State and global communities. The Campus Master Plan is part of a continuum of planning at the University that acknowledges the institution's role in the broader community and that our fate and actions are linked to the fate of our region, state, and the world. In evaluating our needs to prepare future generations of the Wisconsin workforce, to conduct research that will affect so many lives, to act as a responsible environmental steward, and as a continual economic force, the University must take into consideration the interdependence of the campus, the state, and the world.
