Campus Master Plan
In the fall of 2004, PDR|P was engaged to work on a master plan update for Norwich University. PDR|P had done initial master plan work in 1994 and 2003. This update was centered largely on a civilian housing development. Norwich University has aspirations to increase the on-campus population of civilian housing to continue to balance the two populations that the University supports – corps and civilian. All of the development of the master plan is targeted around the strategic plan for Norwich, entitled NU2019.
[click illustrations for larger version]
PDR|P worked with the master plan committee and division heads to establish impact points for adding a limited amount of additional students to campus, as well as shifting commuter student population to residential student population. This impacted parking, office space, residential space, dining, and a host of other issues. These impact points were documented and tallied, and translated into space needs.
The result was an incremental but holistic plan for developing Norwich University between now and 2019. Some of the keystone projects of this master plan include: the Museum, Phases One through Three of the Civilian Housing, the Wise Campus Center, a new admissions building and theater space, a comprehensive reconsideration of parking needs and goals in light of the mandate that Norwich is to be a pedestrian campus, revitalization of Webb & Ainsworth, reconnecting Plumley to the heart of campus, and ultimately a new academic quad.
PDR|P also identified sustainable design approaches that should be considered at both the building level and the University level. At the building level, the following strategies were recommended: design for 100 years, building re-use, flexibility, natural light, material use, limiting air conditioning and implementing passive cooling, and intelligent water usage. At the University level, the following strategies were recommended: wind power, organic and local foods, recycling programs, limiting light and noise pollution, landscape restoration, and preserving and constructing wetlands.
