WELCOME! The University of Saskatchewan is developing a new Campus Master Plan to guide the direction and growth of the campus over the coming years. This is an exciting time for the University as it takes stock of its past and present, and begins to imagine a vision for the future shape of the campus.
What is a Campus Master Plan?
A Campus Master Plan provides a framework for the development and growth of the Campus through strategies and directions on a range of issues and considerations, including such aspects as: Built form – What are the buildings that the University community will need in the future? Where will they be located? What will they look like? What amenities will they provide? Also, how can the significant heritage buildings on the campus be conserved and celebrated, and how can new buildings respectfully integrate with existing buildings. Movement – What policies, strategies, and initiatives will support more connectivity across the University and with surrounding areas and the city at large? Are there opportunities to increase active forms of transportation through walking and cycling? How can the campus align with transit services? What are other strategies to move people quickly and safely, and reduce dependency on single-occupant car travel. Open Space – How should future open spaces - including parks, fields, natural areas, plazas and others – function, where should they be located, what features should have?
How can you be involved?
You can participate today! Take a look at the panels on display, leave your input on the panels with sticky notes and dots, feel free to ask the facilitators any questions, and share your ideas – any opportunities you see, constraints the university faces, and your visionary and aspirational thinking about the future of the campus. Don’t stop there! Stay tuned during the coming months for additional events around the campus, and further opportunities to get and stay engaged. For those who can’t make it to an event in person, opportunities will be made to engage with the Campus Planning team either online, through social media, or by reaching out to us directly. Watch for more information over the coming months and get engaged!
Project Process
The Campus Master Plan will unfold over four phases, as the plan evolves from an initial vision, to a conceptual design along with the policies and strategies to guide it. The chart below outlines the primary project phases, and also shows the general timing of engagement events. PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3
PHASE 4
Develop Plan Vision and Principles, identify opportunities for change and key priorities to inform the Plan.
Develop Draft Concept Plan and Big Moves, identify preliminary policy directions for the Plan.
Prepare Campus Master Plan and Plan Frameworks, including Plan policies.
Finalize Campus Master Plan and Space Plan.
Stakeholder Interviews & Pop-up Open Houses (Jun. 2017)
Workshop & Open House (early Oct. 2017)
Workshop & Open House (Jan. 2018)
Presentation to U of S Governing Bodies
We are here
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Campus Master Plan
The University of sASKATCHEWAN Campus Old Preston Ave Preston Ave N
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Campus Master Plan
Background The Campus and Surrounding Context Plan
The University of Saskatchewan’s campus is located within the central area of Saskatoon, along the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River. The historical heart of the campus and current core campus area is north of College Drive, and west of Preston Avenue North. This is where the largest concentration of the school’s facilities and activity is concentrated. To the north, east, and south east, are agricultural lands, which are part of the Faculty of Agriculture and Bioresources. South of College Drive is College Quarter, location of Griffiths Stadium and more recently developed student residences. Did you know? The University of Saskatchewan’s land area, represents close to 20% of the land within the central area of Saskatoon!
History
Through the University Act of 1907, the University of Saskatchewan was established with over 1,000 acres of land. The first Master Plan for the campus was developed in 1909, and was oriented around a large open space (today’s Bowl), and oriented towards the river, but setback from the water’s edge to serve the school’s agricultural functions. The first buildings were completed in 1912, and designed in a Collegiate Gothic style. Many of the buildings built since have paid tribute to the design of the early campus buildings, through the use of similar colours and materials. Later plans and development in the 1960’s saw design and energy shift towards more of an emphasis on vehicle movement, to facilitate connection and access to the campus from the growing surrounding city. During this period development on the campus became more spread out, and new roads were established. More recent campus plans, such as those for the Graduate and College Quarter residences have introduced a more pedestrian scale in the design of buildings, open spaces, and pathways.
University of Saskatoon Vision 2057 Plan and City of Saskatoon Growth Plan
Given the central location of the University Campus, the future of the lands will be an important factor in the growth of the University, but also the city. The City’s Growth Plan, which provides strategies to provide for the anticipated doubling of the city’s population over the next thirty years, has recognized the potential of the University’s lands to accommodate some of this growth. How could the university be better integrated and connected with the surrounding city?
U of S Campus Master Plan Principles
U of S has identified several underlying principles and key issues to be addressed in the Campus Master Plan. These include: • Sustainability and Energy • Design and Heritage Conservation • Campus Experience • Community • Connectivity and Movement • Space Utilization and Efficiency • Diversity
D I A LO G + WAT T Co n s u l t i n g G r o u p + E C S
Campus Master Plan
mobility
Add your comments
Where are you commuting from? Mark your origin with a dot:
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How do you travel to campus? Mark your method of transportation with a dot:
Campus Master Plan
What would you like to see on your campus?
Add your comments
what resonates with you? Mark it with a dot:
Sacred spaces / ceremonial spaces
Winter activity spaces
Plaza open spaces
Informal open lawn space
Recreational spaces
Other Ideas?
Transparent and animated internal gathering spaces
High quality buildings that define identity of place
Places for contemplation
Informal study spaces
Post a note here with your idea
Student services and amenities
Formal quads and courtyards
Learning environments outside the classroom
Other Ideas?
Well-maintained heritage
Post a note here with your idea
D I A LO G + WAT T Co n s u l t i n g G r o u p + E C S
Campus Master Plan
What would you like to see on your campus?
Add your comments
what resonates with you? Mark it with a dot:
Transit
Places to live / residential options
Flexible spaces for art, creativity, exhibitions, events, contemplation, etc.
Places to connect with the community
Bicycle amenities
Other Ideas? A walkable campus
Alignment of the transit stops, bicycle amenities, and pedestrian connection points
Sports facilities
Post a note here with your idea
Places for study
Bike Share
Adaptable and flexible interior spaces
Social gathering space
Small “pocket� parking lots
Other Ideas? Post a note here with your idea
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Campus Master Plan
What would you like to see on your campus?
Add your comments
what resonates with you? Mark it with a dot:
Community Varsity and Fitness
Car Share
Meeting Spaces
Day care
Continuing Education
Renewable Energy Sources
Community Services
Laboratories
Other Ideas? Green Architecture
Post a note with your idea
Other Ideas?
Retail
Public Health
Local food served and sold on campus
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Office space
Post a note with your idea
Campus Master Plan
Tell Us about Your Campus
Add your comments
Mark your places on campus with a dot:
Favourite places on campus Least favourite places on campus “Heart� of the campus Other ideas
Innovation Blvd.
Add your comments
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Existing conditions campus context and areas of influence
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Yelloehead HWY
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Bridge
G.D Archibold MBM. PK.
Innovation/Reseaech
Beef Research Station
Circle Dr.
Yelloehea d HWY
Richmond Heights Neighbourhood
CP Bridge
CP Rail
Core Academic Campus Preston Ave.
University of Saskatchewan
Kingsman Park
Sutherland Neighbourhood
College Dr.
Saskatoon Central Business District
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Greystone Heights Neighbourhood
Albert Neighbourhood Commercial Strip
The University of Saskatchewan is well positioned as it is located in the centre of the City of Saskatoon, which provides many opportunities to grow and develop as a distinct community destination in the heart of the city. With established residential neighbourhoods all around the campus, the University can evolve as a significant academic, pedagogical, and recreational amenity for the community, and all within a five to ten minute walking distance. The challenge will be to address pedestrian accessibility to the campus with increased mobility options and infrastructure, as it is also bounded by the Yellowhead Highway to the north and east of its boundaries, the CP Rail corridor to the north of the core campus, and a major arterial roadway to the south. The challenge will also be to maintain an agricultural/farm presence in a growing urban context. There are opportunities to build a unique identity for the University that focuses on urban agriculture and enhancing the visible pedagogy of such a distinct use.
The existing campus structure and land use reflects six distinct campus areas which include: Core Academic Campus, Agriculture/Research/Lab, Innovation/Research, Athletic, Residential, and River’s Edge. Each of these areas can be strengthened and enhanced as unique places, recognizing that they have different functions. A comprehensive design strategy is required such that these areas can be developed to create a very unique, diverse, and pedestrian oriented campus, one that is connected by a well-defined network of pedestrian oriented streets, pathways, and trails, as well as a strong open space framework. The relationship and face to the surrounding community and City should be considered in the enhancement of each of these precinct areas.
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Building heights generally fall within the three to four storey institutional height range with some tower buildings that demarcate or terminate views, or are located at the campus edges.
Quad Courtyard
Open Landscape Forest
Field Farm/Lab/Research
Garden Service
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Much of the University’s identity is built on the significant amount of quality heritage building assets on campus that reflect the original campus plans and original Collegiate Gothic building style. In terms of building development, there are three distinct patterns that define the campus. These include the original campus area generally defined by the Campus Drive loop; the agricultural campus area north of the loop; and the Innovation/Research area at the north end of the campus. Most of the buildings that are part of the original campus structure are generally located within the Campus Drive loop. These buildings are organized to frame campus open spaces and streets, with frontages onto the open spaces and streets. Most buildings have servicing and small pockets of parking at the rear of buildings. In some cases, the frontages of buildings are less defined as they have larger surface parking areas fronting or surrounding the buildings. In the northerly agricultural campus area, the campus buildings function less to define and frame internal open spaces. They have more of a function and relationship to their surrounding working yard spaces. The pattern of building development for the Innovation/Research area reflects buildings that typically front open spaces or streets but are bounded by large areas of surface parking and service areas to the sides and rear of buildings. There are many opportunities to increase the pedestrian nature of this area and its connections to the core campus, considering different parking strategies to improve the relationship between the built form and surrounding open space.
To/From Forest Grove, Evergreen, Kenderdine, Lakeview, Lakeridge
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The original campus structure was aligned to have a relationship to the river and river views. In the original building plans, there was a conscious effort to set buildings back from the water’s edge to be closer to the University’s agricultural programs which made the long view corridors and visual connections to the water very important. The first significant campus open space, the Bowl and linear mall, was aligned to provide direct and framed views to the water. Although the views and visual connections have eroded over time, these significant open spaces have remained intact today.
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Perimeter Rd
Open Spaces
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Axis
The pattern of campus development of the original campus area reflects a traditional compact form with Collegiate Gothic buildings that frame and define quads and courtyards, with generous green forecourts, and small pockets of integrated parking and servicing areas throughout. The evolution of the campus reflects a shift from this pattern to a more open and spread layout to accommodate the University’s agricultural programs, spatial requirements, and roadways. This also reflected a north easterly directional shift in terms of campus growth. Within the agricultural campus structure, there still seemed to be an effort to align buildings and streets along new north easterly axes and in integrating small pockets of open space. The research and innovation precinct has its main building set on a strong diagonal axis that connects back to the core campus area, with a significant building and open space positioned as a terminus to the axis. All other buildings and open spaces are structured with an east-west alignment, seemingly to the river. All of the axial relationships provide guidance and opportunities for the layout of future buildings and open spaces in the Campus Master Plan.
To the west, the University is bounded by the Saskatchewan River and parks, with trails that run alongside the campus. These trails can be linked to an on campus trails network that allows for a unique experience of the entire campus context, and particularly its notable heritage buildings and other key assets. West and south of the campus is Saskatoon’s Central Business District and the 8th Street East commercial node. The close proximity to the District provides opportunities for complimentary synergies with the University, and there are opportunities to provide complimentary services and amenities on campus that are not available within the south commercial area or need to be in closer proximity.
Built Form
View corridors
Water River Landscape
There are approximately ten different open space typologies that define the campus. These include quads, courtyards, open formal landscaped areas, forested landscapes defined by significant tree canopies, formal and informal playing fields, gardens, farm/lab/research lands, water bodies including ponds and the river, the river’s edge landscape, and service areas which include parking. Many of the formal open spaces of the original campus structure such as the quads and courtyards, are still intact and should be enhanced as important cultural heritage assets. The pattern of formal open landscaped areas that front significant buildings are somewhat eroded or are not as clearly defined because of the integration of less pedestrian oriented roadways and surface parking. The management of the surface parking, the landscaping, and the character of the adjacent streets can all be addressed to make these attractive contributing spaces. There is a pattern of forested landscape that flows through the campus that can be enhanced and strengthened as a distinct open space feature on campus. It can be developed as an opportunity to bring the riverside landscape as well as the community in, where the forest, combined with integrated trails, can link the campus spaces and precincts and provide a recreational opportunity for the University and surrounding community. The farm/lab/research lands are quite a unique feature in an urban University context and can be enhanced to build identity and to engage the community in the use of this asset for observation, learning, and teaching. The character of the streets, which are an integral part of the public realm space, are more vehicular and service oriented, and less pedestrian in character. As well, the amount of service roads and areas, and surface parking are significant. There are many opportunities to redefine the character of the streets and create a more pedestrian friendly parking strategy to transition some parking spaces to open spaces, creating a balanced ratio of buildings to open space for a much more attractive, welcoming, and inviting campus context.
Bus Routes:
4 Willowgrove Square 6 Broadway / Market Mall 13 Lawson Heights / Broadway 17 Stonebridge / University 18 College Park / University 21 University
40 Evergreen 45 Kenderdine / City Centre 50 Lakeview 55 Lakeridge 81 Centre Mall / University via Taylor Street 82 Centre Mall / University via Main Street Express Routes: 101, 102, 104, 117, 180
14 St E
To/From Market Mall
Gateways
In general, the University is very accessible via multiple modes of transportation. It is currently defined by a network of sinuous streets, service roads, numerous transit routes and an on-site transit hub, and is bounded by two major roadway systems that connect to all areas surrounding the campus. There are three major gateway entry points into the campus, all of which are connected to and feed into Campus Drive, which loops around the core campus area. There are multiple points of access off of the Yellowhead Highway that service the Innovation/Research area and the main campus area. There are also multiple points of access along College Drive that service the core campus area and connect the southern campus context – the Athletic and Residential areas. In addition to an extensive road and transit network, the University boasts a very extensive pathway network but mainly within the core campus area. This network can be enhanced to all other areas to create a more connected environment and to encourage walkability of the campus.