CAMPUS PLANNING - Roger Williams University

2002-2003 RWU Presidential Fellowship Report: Campus Planning
the result of landscaped parking areas, the original farm
complex is now dwarfed by the recreation center and
pending additions to the campus. It, is therefore
increasingly important, as the core of the campus fills in, to
maintain the openness at the fringes of the campus.
This pastoral setting is one of the most powerful aspects of
to the identity of the University as perceived by visitors and
local residents alike. The north campus represents a unique
opportunity to extend that identity to the water. The careful
placement of buildings along the high ground overlooking
this meadow as it rolls down to the Bay offers a spectacular
setting for the next phase in the evolution of the University.
It is not a question of preservation of the existing meadows,
for their own sake, as much as a question of how to use
buildings to frame activities and views that will make the
meadow a vital extension of the Campus, while preserving
the pastoral sense that is such a magical aspect of this
region. I this regard, I believe we should aspire to the
precedent established by our most prominent neighbors,
Blithewold and Mt. Hope Farm.
Fig. 10: Topography
The campus sits on a powerful and dramatic landform – a
peninsula. A peninsula has a strong directionality and
campus participates in that directionality in a unique way.
Route 114 occupies the crest of a ridge that, along with the
water's edge, are the most prominent features of the site.
Fig. 11: Grids
The grid of the original campus conforms to the orientation
of the original farm plots and the orientation of the grid of
the town of Bristol dating from colonial times. When Rt.
136 was connected to the Mt. Hope bridge, that connector
cut diagonally through this grid roughly parallel to the
coastline. The former Nike missile silos are at a slight angle
to 136. The resolution of these grids, their relation to the
topography and to views represent the key design
challenges for the northward expansion of the campus.
Conclusion:
Roger Williams University enjoys a dramatic natural
setting. Many people comment on this without a true
appreciation of what it is that they find so appealing. How
do we protect or build upon something if we do not know
what it is What are the unique qualities of the landscape
that resonate with the general public and how do we design
buildings that reinforce or support the existing fabric of the
campus I hope the preceding analysis has offered some
clues.
The campus core is expanding and becoming denser at the
same time. This density is important in building a sense of
community and creating a strong pedestrian core with a
variety of outdoor gathering spaces to suit different needs.
Views from buildings at the fringe of this core should be
maintained and new building sites should respect existing
open space corridors, while also exploiting the topography
to allow for new building sites to take advantage of water
views while maintaining or framing views from above.
Inadequate attention to the design and planning of the
automotive infrastructure on the campus has and will
continue to be a significant problem unless a major effort is
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