Introduction
The University of New Mexico’s commitment to academic excellence must also be reflected in its vision for the infrastructure and physical environment of its campuses.
The Strategic Plan for the Physical Infrastructure and Information Systems guides the evolution of the campus master plan. In doing so, three basic issues must be addressed:
1. Crafting Community and a Sense of Place
The physical environment of the campus conveys to users and visitors
the special nature of the activities at UNM. The fundamental importance
that society places on this enterprise is also underscored by the quality
and visual character of that context. UNM is fortunate to have a
main campus that is widely recognized for its consistent architectural
heritage and complementary landscaping and “hardscaping.” The value
of the tangible and intangible qualities embodied in this environment and
its contribution to the spirit of community must not be underestimated.
National surveys indicate that “quality of the campus environment” is one of the leading criterions for college selection by students. An attractive and supportive campus setting also plays a critical role in attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and staff. The positive memory derivative of a distinctive setting and “sense of place” will carry with graduates for life -- helping form a vital and lifelong relationship between the alumni and the institution.
While providing a distinctive and attractive environment, the campus setting must also support the intended as well as incidental and spontaneous activities of the academic community. The campus must include and convey a sense of purpose, safety, comfort, assembly, repose and permanence. The commitment to achieving and maintaining design excellence must be understood and sustained at every level of decision-making. In creating both a sense of place and sense of a purposeful community, all aspects of the physical infrastructure must be considered with respect to the overall context and contribute toward those related objectives.
Design considerations should be inclusive of all seasons as well as nighttime use. Sensitivity to the human scale and responsiveness to the climate and environment are critical to all design decisions. Recognizing the arid climate of New Mexico, the campus environment may be considered as an “oasis in the desert.” In so doing we recognize that that the judicious and sensitive use of water and green can celebrate the special quality of the place.
While supporting the expected functional needs, for the most part new
facilities should each contribute to the quality of the open spaces that
define the character of the campus. Future buildings should be respectful
of the urban context and design traditions of the past, but do so in a
manner that is not overtly imitative.
2. Campus Planning and Town-Gown Relationships
The campuses of major public institutions serve as destinations and
centers for educational, business, social and cultural events for a variety
of divergent groups and constituencies. A successful university campus
embraces the physical context in which it resides, understands the various
forces that shape its edges and mold its nucleus, and incorporates community
representation and constituencies into its planning processes. As
an ensemble of specialized facilities, inviting landscapes, evocative public
art and other attractive features, the UNM campus comprises a unique setting
not found elsewhere in the city or region.
To foster successful interactions with all who use it, the campus must simultaneously convey unity in its appearance with a sense of noble purpose, adventure and discovery. It should be cohesive in its physical organization -- open and inviting to the community and constituent professions represented in the Colleges and Schools. Physically, the University should not turn its "back" on its public context, but yet within its perimeter the campus should establish a sense of sanctuary for its users and inhabitants.
University resources should be extended to the community during weekend
and "after hours." The future physical development of the campus
should be sympathetic to and respectful of
area residents, adjacent business establishments and other nearby activities.
It should endeavor to balance the needs of the largest university in the
state with the smallest interests of those that
share the same geographic context.
The campus should interact with municipal amenities, roads, flood control devices and land uses so that core services are integrated between the University and the town, while insuring that the environmental qualities of the urban area are uniformly advanced. The UNM campus should reflect the urban demands of the largest metropolitan area of the state and sustain a physical infrastructure capable of supporting excellence.
The physical facilities infrastructure and information technologies
must support the vision and creation of an integral urban center that is
capable of integrating with and supporting other educational, business,
cultural, and social services of the community and state. Toward
that end, campus planning for facilities and the information technologies
that connect it to the broader world must involve and incorporate community
representation and constituencies. A community-based planning focus
will assist in creating an academic environment that offers easy access
by citizens to the resources and services of the University. “Wayfinding”
mechanisms must be established that make it easy and intuitive for occasional
and new users to enter the campus -- physically and digitally -- to locate
facilities, find assistance, or establish links with the appropriate faculty
or staff.
3. Vehicular and Pedestrian Networks: Circulation and
Parking
The majority of highly respected campus environments are distinct from
their surrounding contexts, in no small measure because of their pedestrian
nature of the primary and other specialized precincts. While accomplishing
the basic functional needs and intentions, the pedestrian environment greatly
contributes to social interchange so vital to an institution that places
a high value on human interaction and discourse. The location of
primary academic facilities must recognize the presumption that instructional
classrooms should be located within a ten-minute walking distance of each
other.
Individuals place considerable importance on their ability to efficiently access their intended destination(s): by foot, bicycle, automobile, shuttles, and public transportation. The campus circulation system must also support a variety of maintenance, service, and safety vehicles – preferably without compromising the quality of the pedestrian experience. However, the primacy of the circulation system must be given to the pedestrian, particularly in the academic core and residential areas of campus. Additionally, where appropriate and possible, pedestrian corridors must directly link with routes external to the campus at its perimeter.
The climate and terrain is generally conducive to bicycle riding. The inherent efficiencies and benefits of this transportation mode suggest that a priority be placed on supporting and encouraging future use. Notwithstanding, networks that support this means of access to and on the campus must acknowledge potential conflicts with both pedestrians and motorists. Connections with area-wide bicycle routes, as well as adequate space and appropriate locations for the temporary storage/parking of bicycles must also be considered.
A successful campus infrastructure must also include adequate provision for the temporary and longer-term storage of vehicles for the benefit of commuters, faculty, staff, visitors, and resident students. With the need to maintain the pedestrian environment and given the urban nature of the campus, it is necessary to presume that the majority of parked automobiles will be accommodated in structured or below grade facilities, generally located and dispersed at the perimeter of the core.
The entry and exit points in parking structures for both automobiles and pedestrians must link directly and seamlessly with the circulation networks. Because of their size, parking structures become important physical elements in the campus landscape -- and must therefore be carefully considered as significant architectural objects in their design and planning.
The use of an automobile on the university campus is a privilege, and not a right. The beneficiaries of parking privileges must assume the collective costs associated with this privilege and associated infrastructure and management.
Given the size and complexity of the university, “way finding” is important to all users and visitors to the campus. The organization and graphic signage of the various components of the circulation system is critical to all aspects of the circulation system.
4. Facility Planning and Design
The Campus Master Plan, derived from the University’s Strategic Plan,
will identify specific footprints, adjacencies, and massing of new facilities,
reflecting the priorities and directions of the University. Capital
improvements are necessarily based on academic initiatives or programs
within a clearly articulated process and based on academic/research/service
priorities. Program development and management of existing space
will be based on standards to promote efficient utilization of this resource.
Existing but obsolete facilities will be carefully evaluated for appropriate
adaptive reuse or replacement. Material management and remote warehousing
will facilitate service access to each building.
Because of the premium for land and open space in the academic core and to maintain a circulation system that is efficient for pedestrians, consideration and preference should always be given to the design of multi-story structures that also include a below-grade level. When new or expanded facilities are planned, parking and access will be critical factors. As the core of the campus is intended to be a pedestrian friendly environment, to ensure appropriate access additional parking and service requirements must be evaluated within the context of the larger transportation and circulation plan. For major structures, below-grade parking and service access should be carefully considered in each instance.
Principles for building design will guide development and be incorporated into all decision processes and communications that affect the built environment of the campus, specifically:
5. Sustaining and Renewing the Physical Environment
The University recognizes that there are two aspects to the challenge
of providing higher education facilities and supporting infrastructure.
First, new facilities must be built to accommodate the academic, research,
clinical, performing arts, community service and athletic programs the
University chooses to emphasize and expand. Second, the University
must provide sufficient resources to sustain the "physical environment."
Sustainment includes recurring maintenance and repair as well as periodic,
comprehensive facility or system renewal. In-house maintenance programs
must be designed and conducted to ensure that existing facilities and infrastructure
provide planned levels of service through out their predicted useful lives.
Notwithstanding, the University accepts the premise that the constructed
elements of building, utility, and the information technology (I.T.) systems
may not be economically sustainable when their operational lives are exceeded.
The predicable useful life is therefore the most valuable tool for forecasting
the scope and timing of major facility or system overhauls.
The quality and timeliness of maintenance and renewal activities will depend on the levels of appearance, reliability and functionality the University adopts as facility and infrastructure standards. As such, standards for facility appearance, building heating, ventilation and cooling, energy conservation, lighting, safety, and functionality must be developed and uniformly applied. Similarly, standards of reliability and performance of utility systems and I.T. infrastructure are also necessary. A periodic review of appearance, functionality and performance goals is necessary to determine if standards must be adjusted relative to fiscal constraints.
It is recognized that the state will continue to provide a substantial level of facility renewal and infrastructure overhaul support. However, maintaining high standards of campus appearance and system reliability is a shared responsibility of the university and the state. Therefore, facility, utility and in-ground infrastructure renewal projects will be supported by both recurring state distributions for higher education building and infrastructure renewal as well as by UNM discretionary funds or university capital program funds.
In order to assure that the facility, utility and I.T. infrastructure keep pace with expanding and evolving needs, the university must develop and apply a comprehensive Facility/ Infrastructure Master Plan. The Master Plan will provide guidelines for incorporating appearance and performance standards as well as I.T. upgrades into new construction and renewal projects. Sections of the Facility/Infrastructure Master Plan will include master plans for campus Fire Protection and Security, Landscape, Street and Pavement/Parking, and Utilities and Information Technology. To reflect advances in technology and changes in available resources, the University must periodically review and modify the Facility/Infrastructure Master Plan.
6. Information and Communication Infrastructure
In order to assure success with its educational, research, and service
missions and assure
continued growth throughout the institution, the University of New
Mexico will coordinate and
manage the physical infrastructure responsible for voice, data and
video efforts. To promote sharing of the existing infrastructure
and maximize resources, UNM will explore converging technologies capable
of positioning the university near the leading edge.
To assure coordination and stewardship of these information and communication
resources, the
University will assign leadership responsibilities for the planning,
design, implementation,
and maintenance of the physical layer, appropriate communication system,
technologies and
infrastructures. It is recognized that management of the physical
layer should not be isolated from other critical components of an integrated
information and communication technology environment. UNM will assure
that students, faculty, and staff receive the benefits of such an integrated
environment by incorporating management of the physical layer into a Information
Technology Master Plan. To provide development leadership and
necessary oversight of this critical element, the authority and coordination
for this Plan must be assigned to and coordinated by a single cabinet level
member of the administration.
BULLET-POINTS FOR DISCUSSION
November 15, 2000