University Street Planning Study
University of Oregon
This study explored how the superblock between 18th and 15th along University Street could become an integral part of the academic heart of the UO campus. Working with the policies of the campus plan, and drawing from the qualities of the academic core, the planning team proposed a framework for future redevelopment that extends the academic campus all the way to18th and University. The study’s findings directly support the basic principles of campus planning and the Campus Plan’s discussion of Historic Landscapes.
The Campus Plan describes how designated open space and academic buildings—working together—give form and character to the University campus. The characteristics of the historic campus core can provide a model for campus expansion and redevelopment, particularly in areas of campus (such as this site) that have developed without the structure of an underlying street grid.
Improvements to the Study Area benefit programs that locate on the site, and also strengthen the campus as a whole. The University’s southern gateway would be transformed into a grand, axial open space that prioritizes walking and biking while gracefully managing vehicle access and parking. Vehicle traffic would be redirected away from the center of campus and managed in new structured parking associated with redevelopment. New designated open spaces would frame future phases of development and structure meaningful connections within the site and to surrounding campus areas. Over time, the re-making of this campus precinct has the potential to transform the campus experience from 18th Avenue to the foot of Lawrence Hall. (Proposed development densities, open space diagrams, and conceptual street sections were also produced to support implementation.)
