ABSTRACT
The physical form of a university is partly determined by the unique nature of the institution of university, reliant on independence from direct material concerns. Universities have always, in their physical form, reflected the relationship back to the original sponsors. Early medieval universities resembled spiritual communities because of their sponsorship by the church, and their use of church assets to create semi-autonomous communities of scholars able to educate an expanding priesthood. At the same time, universities have evolved in response to societal evolution and the changing nature of societal demands placed upon them. Late capitalist society is immensely complex, and it is hard to discern at this point a grand narrative for the changes currently under way, in contrast to the societal upheavals of the 1960s. A campus is organised to facilitate particular activities learning is a socialised process, and so university buildings may provide shared learning spaces.
