MASTER PLAN: Landscape architecture department ferrets out Seattle campus vision

People who spend time on campus believe that its physical beauty helps nurture the work and scholarship that goes on here.

A visioning project, conducted over the past year by the Department of Landscape Architecture, solicited input from faculty, students and staff regarding their opinions of the campus. In addition, the views of the surrounding community were gathered through surveys, focus groups and an interactive Web site. More than 1,800 people answered surveys and an additional 120 participated in focus groups.

Bill Talley

People were asked many questions dealing with open space and the outdoor environment. They were asked about their favorite places, about where they would take visitors, and about locations that inspire them.

Although the survey was not intended as a scientific sample, the responses do raise issues that will be considered in future campus development. And in many cases, the responses were striking because of their near-unanimity on certain subjects.

People are inspired by the beauty of the campus, especially the grand vistas and distant views of Mount Rainier, Lake Washington and the Cascades. Favorite locations on campus include Rainier Vista, the Quad, the HUB Lawn, Red Square and the waterfront.

Many people report that the beauty of the campus was an important factor in their decision to work or pursue higher education here. People believe the campus enhances the quality of their work lives: The spaciousness and greenery are important in making the campus a desirable work environment. In general, people are proud of the campus and want its beauty preserved; they are concerned that new development could degrade the qualities they treasure.

However, the views on finer scale campus development are decidedly more mixed. As one observer put it, "There are plenty of places for walking, but no place to eat lunch." Spaces such as building courtyards were not well regarded; from the point of view of many users, those spaces do not offer great comfort or convenience.

Planners know that they must use the remaining open space wisely. The feeling of spaciousness is one of the core values that people feel is important about the campus. While reusing existing structures may be costly, there are psychological costs for many people in using up the open space that remains. ¶