The role of institutional culture in campus master planning.

摘要

Campuses of higher education are physical artifacts of the institutions' culture. No matter the institutional type, geographic location, or population it serves, "the campus is a visible, physical manifestation and indicator of organizational life" (D. Martin, 2006, p. iii). Artifacts serving as symbols of the institution's culture comprise both the physical settings of an organization as well as objects within that physical setting. These settings can provide context, relay the foundations and principles of an organization, and communicate centrally held values and beliefs. College and university campuses can embody ideas that individuals within that community have about the organization itself. Spaces provide context.;Campus planning is a process through which orderly coherent evolution and growth of a campus and its facilities evolve over time. When these facilities are therefore seen as artifacts of culture, the institution's physical growth represents in a way the values, ideals, and beliefs associated with the organization. This study explored the relationship that exists between campus planning and an institution's culture, and the role that culture plays in the campus planning process. This research explored the question, How is an institution's culture reflected in the campus physical landscape, and secondarily, as a process of physical growth, how is the culture reflected in campus facilities master planning? This research question was answered utilizing qualitative research methods, including data collected from document analysis, interview, and observation techniques as part of a case study of similar institutional-type colleges and universities.;This research found that campus culture was a critical component of institutional master planning whether intentionally included as part of the planning process at the start, or as an unintended byproduct resulting from the planning process itself. Campus culture was fundamentally included not only within the physical landscape of the campus, but also actively and passively influenced the master planning process and therefore also the final master plan. This research helps institutions enhance their master planning process, in both development and implementation, through understanding and embracing the college or University culture.