Alternative Campus Concepts
Alternative Campus Concepts
The decision to pursue a 7-10 year interim solution for the campus substructure presents enormous opportunities for UMass Boston as it works to develop a long-term Master Plan. The University has the chance to take down the plaza and upper and lower levels of the substructure and eliminate the existing fortress-like nature of the campus, take better advantage of its waterfront location, provide more open space, improve access to the campus, and better connect with its surrounding neighbors and urban community.
The Master Plan Steering Committee has developed three different conceptual approaches to orienting and organizing the campus in the future. The design elements in each concept have merit on any campus and are not mutually exclusive. Based on input and feedback from the University’s community and external constituents, the Master Plan Steering Committee will work to find the ideal combination of elements that best reflects UMass Boston’s academic mission and strategic priorities, complements its extraordinary surroundings, and maximizes the availability of resources to implement a new campus plan.
Please click on the picture at the bottom of the page to view the three campus frameworks:
- Reinforcing the Core
- Expanding the Hub
- Improving Connections
Reinforcing the Core
- Reinforce the existing organization of academic, athletic, and socially-oriented facilities
- Academic buildings fully or partially surround open space in the form of quadrangles
- Connectivity between buildings is reinforced, improving opportunities for academic and social interactions
- Campus spaces are linked in a north and south orientation, allowing the campus to grow northward over time
- Campus housing is located closer to the surrounding urban community, enhancing the residential feel of campus housing
- The existing perimeter road stays in place
- Parking garages are located on the edges of campus, keeping vehicles from entering the interior of campus
- Parkland is built on the north side of campus
Expanding the Hub
- Enhance focus of campus activity around the Campus Center
- Reinforce oval in front of the Campus Center
- Create a tighter physical connection with the JFK Library and Mass. Archives
- Perimeter road moves inward near Morrissey Blvd entrance, allowing space to be freed up for building sites
- Road moves closer to the front door of the Campus Center, creating open space that better integrates with the waterfront
- Outdoor athletic facilities are relocated closer to BC High School
- Create a town square like space around the historic Calf Pasture Pumping Station that seeks to support and stimulate community
- Parking garages are located at public assembly areas (i.e. Campus Center & JFK Library)
- Campus housing is located in the core of the campus in the form of an “academical village”
- Parkland is built on the north side of campus
Improving Connections
- Improve connections within campus and between the surrounding community and the waterfront
- Campus is placed in a diagonal position
- Secondary routes/streets are established within the campus for pedestrian and vehicular traffic
- Green access is provided from one end of campus to the other
- Parking garages are located on edges of campus
- Campus housing is placed near Mt. Vernon St. and also reaches into the core of campus
- Outdoor athletic facilities are relocated closer to BC High School
- Parkland is built on the north side of campus
To view the three campus frameworks please click on picture above