uOttawa Campus Master Plan

[waterloowarrior]

website is up. Project being lead by Urban Strategies.
http://www.uottawamasterplan.ca/

[rocketphish]

Work moves ahead on University of Ottawa campus master plan

By Neco Cockburn, OTTAWA CITIZEN February 4, 2014 7:00 PM

OTTAWA — Some parts of the University of Ottawa campus are crowded and lack common areas where people can hang out, study or bounce ideas off each other. Some people see the campus as a place to learn and work “but not a place to stay,” while “the absence of a memorable campus experience is an issue.”

The feedback is among two dozen reoccurring themes heard by a consultant team that gathered feedback from staff as part of work on the university’s master plan that will set the direction and development of the campus.

Work on the first phase of the project started over the past six months in response to the city’s planning for transit-oriented development near the Lees light-rail station. The master plan initiative is expected to be completed in the summer of 2015.

A new blog has been launched (www.uottawamasterplan.ca) and consultation is planned with groups that include students, residents and city representatives, before an open house is held later this month.

The university’s lead consultant is Toronto design firm Urban Strategies.

Other reoccurring themes from staff ranged from the need for a better-defined pedestrian network and more green space to new labs and research space as the faculty grows, according to information on the blog.

Newer buildings “have utility and distinction and accommodate students well,” according to one of the common ideas, but “on the other hand some structures have run their course and need to factor into new thinking ... and those needs may not match the past building trend or type.”

That King Edward Avenue should, over time, “become a new and active campus spine,” was among other themes.

An “invitational visioning workshop” is to be held this month for representatives of faculty, staff and students, followed by a campus open house in the University Centre on Feb. 26.

ncockburn@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/NecoCockburn
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/ot...041/story.html

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

There will be a special meeting of the Board of Governors on November 10,2014.

A final draft of the master plan will be presented for the board to approve or send back for changes.

It will be an important event for both the university and for the City. What they decide will have an impact on the downtown core as well as the university.

Comments on what one would like to see, or not see, can still be made here.

http://www.uottawamasterplan.ca/

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

There will be public presentations of the plan on March 10 on the main campus--Agora, Jock Turcot Centre
---and On March 11 at the Guindon Campus.


Urban Strategies says:

The “big moves” included in the Campus Master Plan were driven by our discussions with students, staff, and members of neighbouring communities, and include:
•Renewal of the main campus core, including a new University Centre
•A greener campus with more outdoor amenities and a larger car-free zone
•Transformation of King Edward into a lively street with academic buildings, student housing and businesses
•Development of a complete campus on the Rideau River,(Lees Av) linked to the main campus by a bike path and, in future, light rail transit

Rendering showing the the new Social Science Tower--a Rebuilt and taller Jock Turcot Centre and a plaza where Parking Lot X now is.

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

King Edward Avenue

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Redeveloped Lees Av Campus on the banks of the Rideau River

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

Redeveloped Lees Av Campus on the banks of the Rideau River

Is that SoHo Italia back there?


http://www.torontosun.com/2012/06/18...hops-5-storeys

[Arcologist]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

website is up. Project being lead by Urban Strategies.
http://www.uottawamasterplan.ca/

Sweet!

[LeadingEdgeBoomer]

Here is a link to the electronic version of the twenty page brochure for the Campus Master Plan. Lots of colourful renderings.

http://issuu.com/urbanstrategiesinc/...b?e=0/11781407

Too much to digest all at once.

One might want to look at what they are proposing for Lees Av and the Nicholas-Mann Gateway Precinct--page 15- 16.

Some current buildings would be torn down and new buildings replacing them ---Brooks, the current University Centre,the MacDonald Building and the Cube are the ones I noted.
Montpetit Hall will get a major rebuild too.

It looks like the shorter term priorties are.

--Finishing the new rez on Henderson
--The Learning Centre which is supposed to start this summer
--The new plaza on the parking lot at the social science tower
--Tearing down the University Centre and building a new one
--the Faculty of Health Science building at Lees

[eltodesukane]

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

Here is a link to the electronic version of the twenty page brochure for the Campus Master Plan. Lots of colourful renderings.

http://issuu.com/urbanstrategiesinc/...b?e=0/11781407

Too bad it's not a pdf, can not download it.

[Aylmer]

The link doesn't work for me :/

[Harley613]

Wow. They are talking about tearing down half the university and rebuilding. This is pretty cool.

[kevinbottawa]

I really like the vision for King Edward.

[c_speed3108]

Holy Crap.

I like some of it. One building I wish they retained was Montpetit Hall. I always thought that one looked pretty cool.

Also Surprised to see Fauteux Hall rebuilt.

Granted they are both from the 50's or 60's so I suppose in the longer term they will reach end of life...

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Harley613

Wow. They are talking about tearing down half the university and rebuilding. This is pretty cool.

Memo to self: buy dynamite stock.

[1overcosc]

At most Canadian universities, buildings from the ~1960-1980 era are generally in bad shape. These were generally built quickly and cheaply to handle the massive enrollment influx universities got during that time as a result of the baby boom and increased social equity (prior to 1960, generally only the wealthy would get university degrees), and as such they're in bad shape. Almost all universities in Ontario have plans to either significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era. The provincial government allocated $500M provincewide for this type of work in last year's budget, so universities now have the money to do this.

U of O will see dramatic change as the bulk of its campus dates from this era.

[Urbanarchit]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

At most Canadian universities, buildings from the ~1960-1980 era are generally in bad shape. These were generally built quickly and cheaply to handle the massive enrollment influx universities got during that time as a result of the baby boom and increased social equity (prior to 1960, generally only the wealthy would get university degrees), and as such they're in bad shape. Almost all universities in Ontario have plans to either significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era. The provincial government allocated $500M provincewide for this type of work in last year's budget, so universities now have the money to do this.

U of O will see dramatic change as the bulk of its campus dates from this era.

The plan does look quite great with everything filled out, but the choice of buildings (if that's what they will actually go with) are disappointing and homogenous. I like architectural diversity on campuses (UofT is excellent for this). Like c-speed3108 I was saddened to see Montpetit Hall proposed for demolition. It's a neat building.


Montpetit Hall by Shel DeF on Flickr

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Almost all universities in Ontario have plans to either significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era. The provincial government allocated $500M provincewide for this type of work in last year's budget, so universities now have the money to do this.

U of O will see dramatic change as the bulk of its campus dates from this era.

$500M over 10 years for all universities in the province is better than nothing, but it hardly seems enough "significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era" The Social Sciences building (which doesn't have the expensive labs, etc of an engineering or science building) cost $112M by itself.

I sort of wonder what they're thinking in terms of paying for all of these new buildings. UofO has a small endowment and doesn't seem to attract a lot of big donors.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by acottawa

$500M over 10 years for all universities in the province is better than nothing, but it hardly seems enough "significantly renovate or tear down most of their buildings from that era" The Social Sciences building (which doesn't have the expensive labs, etc of an engineering or science building) cost $112M by itself.

I sort of wonder what they're thinking in terms of paying for all of these new buildings. UofO has a small endowment and doesn't seem to attract a lot of big donors.

Government funding is generally only used to cover a portion of the costs of a major project. Universities are typically able to cover a good chunk (for most of the past 20 years, often all) of capital expenses through major fundraising drives and their own income sources. That $500M grant program will likely only be paying for 20% of the costs of projects. It allows universities to accelerate their capital plans by giving them a bit more money to work with.

I too wonder about U of O is going to afford this. Not only does it have smaller revenue streams compared to others, as you said, this plan is also far more ambitious (and thus expensive) than comparable master plans at other universities.

[Aylmer]

I'm thrilled that they're going to get rid of most of the old, brutalist slabs! Beyond the aesthetics, those buildings are labyrinths on the inside, unintuitive on the outside and the nooks and crannies they create so freely are downright sketchy at most hours of the day. I see this as a huge step forward.

Now I wish there was a better vision as to how the campus can connect with Rideau St. and Downtown - it's not the best of experiences currently and it would be nice if you could be surrounded by walkability from Mann to the Market or across the Canal. Ottawa's problem (or one of them) is that we've got these really nice areas which don't connect with each other.