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Long Range Development Plan | Planning Principles | Architecture and Design | Space Management
Campus plans are broad, large-scale plans that put developments to UAlberta's sites and facilities in line with the university's strategic initiatives.
Long Range Development Plan
Long Range Development Plan is a framework that guides future planning for UAlberta's five campuses over a 30-year period.
The LRDP responds to the Institutional Strategic Plan, which sets the university's academic and research goals. The plan was approved by the university's Board of Governors in June 2002 and is formally administered by UAlberta's President.
Sector Plans
Using the LRDP as framework, sector plans provide the next level of detail when it comes to integrated campus planning. Sector plans:
- Identify pathways, open spaces, nodes, circulation routes and districts
- Outline which sites are available for development
- Provide development guidelines including height, massing, site coverage, and the historic, physical, academic, social and cultural character of the sector
- Provide pedestrian and bicycle system considerations
- Identify land use compatibility, adjacency and transition issues
Campus Planning Principles
At UAlberta, campus planning and development are based on smart growth, healthy communities and sustainability pillars.
Smart Growth Principles
- Maintain a healthy, sustainable campus
- Realize operational, academic and social benefits to the university and surrounding communities
- Develop stronger connections and communication with surrounding communities
- Create lasting, meaningful and accessible spaces
- Maintain barrier-free access and service availability to university facilities by creating a pedestrian-focused campus
- Develop the campus in phases
Healthy Communities Principles
- Continually improve sustainability and resource stewardship by balancing social, economic and environmental sustainability
- Create an academic and residential environment that fosters new ideas and creates a unique sense of place
- Promote Campus as a Living Lab opportunities
- Develop strong relationships with neighbouring communities, sharing amenities and services
- Support and advance the university in its goal to become one of the world's top public educational institutions
- Optimize budgetary resources and partnership funding
- Develop a walkable campus and support various modes of transportation
Sustainability Pillars
- Energy efficiency
- Water and wastewater management
- Water and stormwater management
- Ecology and the environment
- Transportation
- Healthy and complete communities
Architecture and Design
Campus Buildings
The history of UAlberta's architecture goes back more than 100 years. The university's original construction was guided by the 1912 Campus Plan, and led by prominent architects like Percy Nobbs, Frank Darling and Cecil Burgess. The university's first building was Athabasca Hall, which was built in 1911.
Today, UAlberta's architecture is still very much the soul of the campus community. Our buildings reflect the university's identity and are the foundation for everything that happens on campus - from teaching and research to living in residence.
Campus Open Space
UAlberta's grounds add to the quality of the campus environment. There are many open spaces on campus, which provide lots of room for enjoying the outdoors or hosting events.
Some of UAlberta's impressive green spaces include:
- The Main Quad on North Campus. A large, grassy park surrounded by trees outside the Students' Union Building (SUB) and the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science (CCIS), which is perfect for studying, relaxing with friends, playing a game like Frisbee, or hosting a barbeque or picnic.
- The Garden Behind the Humanities Centre. A beautiful garden with a pond and a small dock, which is a great place to sit and enjoy nature.
- The Geoscience Garden. A large rock installation outside the Earth Sciences Building that represents Canada's geological heritage.
- The Community Garden at Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ). A beautiful community garden with a water feature located behind the main CSJ buildings.
- The Quad with the Centennial Sculptures. An impressive three-piece art installation in a beautiful park on Augustana Campus
Space Management
Space Management is responsible for ensuring UAlberta's building space fits its intended use. We develop plans that help occupants use their space to its full potential, and we maintain space data and associated records.
Our Space Management team includes two groups: Space Planners and Space Planning and Inventory Services (SPIS) technologists.
Space Planners
Working with faculty and departmental contacts, Space Planners develop big-picture, long-term plans; create renovation plans; develop space programs; and conduct feasibility studies and space reports for each of UAlberta's campuses. We assess and strategize all university space needs, analyze feasibility, develop project programming, and develop concepts to allocate space.
Space Planning and Inventory Services (SPIS) Technologists
Our SPIS technologists maintain the SPIS system, which is the recognized data source for university space. The SPIS system stores floor plans and houses information about space assignment, occupancy, and area.
How We Can Help You
- We address space needs for new employees and university initiatives.
- We assess space needs and present budget-friendly options to reconfigure or expand space.
- We create floor plans and maps.
Space Requests
We manage requests for space based on the following criteria:
- Priorities for research, academic programs and support areas supported by the President, Provost or Vice-Presidents
- Government funding priorities or expectations
How We Allocate Space
We allocate space based on executive-supported requirements, and institutional priorities, policies and guidelines. With support from senior-level executives, we work with faculty and departmental contacts to:
- Understand the vision or objectives behind a space request
- Analyze opportunities
- Quantify space requirements
We produce conceptual plans, obtain estimates and create scope-of-work documents to help our executive team and our clients make informed strategic decisions.
Did You Know?
Each UAlberta faculty and department has an assigned Space Planner. We work closely with the space contact in each area to ensure university space is assigned fairly and effectively.
Space is a university asset. Under the stewardship of the Vice-President (Facilities & Operations), space is managed centrally through Space Management. We allocate space to faculties and departments to meet their supported needs.
Large-scale space initiatives need to follow a governance process and need approval from the Facilities Development Committee, which is a sub-committee of the General Faculties Council.