University of Louisiana at Lafayette Master Plan

This comprehensive plan arose from a vision to improve the environment of the University and make it one of the most inspiring academic institutions in America. The University has undertaken the task of developing a comprehensive master plan, which is intended to guide the physical growth of the campus for the next 20 years. Although several ongoing attempts have been made to direct growth, none to date have been created in the form of formalized governance which mandates orderly implementation.

The Master Plan represented here is the result of a yearlong public participatory work effort linking the input of hundreds of stakeholders, including University administrators, faculty and staff, city government directors, neighborhood organizations, and last, but by no means least, the student body of the University. All groups devoted their passionate input to the creation of this comprehensive work. The printed text and visionary delineations are the product of that dedicated effort and will surely evolve as experiences and dynamics dictate. These strategies are made in the form of recommendations and propositions that are structured around established principles to help the University institute a cohesive and memorable place, and one that is built on the highest form of civic art. 

The comprehensive plan is intended to successfully weave three currently incongruent adjacent landmasses into one cohesive campus district, through an articulation of uses, patterns, transportation idioms, and environmental sensitivity. The process at its core has been informed by high level assessments surrounding both academic space needs based on the many university dynamics encountered in today’s educational environment, as well as market dynamics focused on potential demand analysis.