University of Illinois

Opportunity: The University of Illinois embarked on a plan to redevelop several of its contiguous residence halls and create a new campus standard in student living, within a phased implementation that would realize no loss of current bed-count.

Solution: The grand tradition of American campus planning is advanced in the new redevelopment plan featuring landscaped courtyards linked by informal walkways around a shared “common green.” The ten new student residences are configured and sited so that existing buildings (and current bed capacity) can remain until new buildings are completed. The master plan reestablishes the circulation and view axis original to the campus.

Value: This new plan increases the amount of usable green space by providing a large outdoor common space for sports and smaller, more informal areas for intimate group interaction. Student rooms are oriented to take advantage of views into the landscape.