ABSTRACT
Universities are 'places' as much as they are institutions. But they are not ordinary places: the campus is no business park or retail development, they are estates of buildings dedicated to higher learning. Of all building types none more conspicuously links new ideals of design and innovative technologies to the mission of development than the university. The university is, therefore, a place of history, a microcosm in buildings and urban spaces which reflects the changing ideals of the world. To understand architecture in all its complexity and invention there is no better concentration of built examples than on the typical university campus. The development from the stall system to book cases and then open shelves in reading rooms, took place in the university library. Ecological design has further advantages. By making a commitment to sustainability, the university is presenting an image of itself which has marketing advantages in terms of student recruitment.
