The University Vision
Core Values:
To be a university where:

  • All are treated with respect and integrity
  • That champions creativity and innovation
    to deliver quality in everything we do
  • That engages openly and enthusiastically with all our communities to advance knowledge, open up new opportunities and avenues, and improve society
Vision statement:

‘By 2020 will be a leading UK Higher education centre in one of the worlds great small cities….with a distinctive reputation for research which is integrated with teaching leaning and underpinned by engagement with local, regional, national international employers /partners’

Strategic objectives:

  • Be recognized for teaching and learning that is relevant to practice as well as for students and peers
  • Produce independent enquiring graduates who enjoy learning, are enterprising, employable, and able to make a positive contribution to society
  • Attract, develop and retain the best staff
  • Maintain financial stability and sustainability
  • Engage with and contribute to the development of our partners and communities, locally and further afield
  • Enhance the reputation and external profile of the University
KEEP

  1. Sense of innovation of a new university moving forward
  2. Intimate and high quality student experience
  3. Communication and team work between stakeholders (academic, students, community)
  4. Walking campus.

TOSS

  1. Estates wish to move away from a reactionary process to a more established orgainisational/decision making model
  2. Old and established teaching/delivery models based on teacher as gate keeper of knowledge
  3. The schism between research and teaching/learning

CREATE

  1. Sense of innovation of a new university moving forward
  2. Intimate and high quality student experience
  3. Communication and team work between stakeholders (academic, students, community)
  4. Walking campus.

The Campus

Location: City

No of students (FTE): 10,246
Postgraduate 1,170
Undergrad 9,076
(student numbers 2008/09)
Staff:
Academic: 766 (548 current academic/research staff and 218 hourly paid lecturers, 2008/2009 academic year)
Support: 652

Key faculties:
Art, Architecture & Design Health, Life & Social Sciences, Media, Humanities & Technology

Total area of campus: 20 ha
Total floor area on campus
(GIA): 57,606,2 sq.m. (check)

Space per full time student:
5.9m2 per (overall or just within academic departments – check?)

Reading the Diagram
DEGW led on developing a profile tool to map a university’s vision/objectives/ aspirations against their Estate using various ‘prompt/clues’ related to the Learning Landscape research. The profile shows an ‘aspiration/vision’ line in red over a rating the campus (estate). The gaps between the red vision line and the campus profile then become potential opportunities for
the university to focus priority around (indicated in blue on the diagram).

The Campus Profile has been developed as a representation of how well the university has scored (high / medium / low) against spatial criteria1. It should be noted that these scores are reasonably subjective and representative of the impressions of the researchers across the 12 participating universities. The profile is not intended to provide or infer a critical or objective report on Lincoln University. Instead, it is intended to facilitate dialogue within the university to determine those aspects (spatial criteria) of the estate are important. The tool then can be altered with the list of relevant spatial criteria at the bottom against which the university can rate its own performance. Lincoln University spans four campuses and DEGW have focussed this study on the Lincoln Brayford campus which was established in 1996 and has grown to 10,246 students since.

the (red) Vision Line is developed from evidence and impressions based on a variety of sources that make up the ‘idea of the university ‘page. Looking at the main headings against which the Estate was mapped, the research team developed an opinion on how important each heading was to the university. eg. if the idea of the university referenced or inferred that the University was concerned with focussing on communicating its brand/identity, then the red line would rank high on this part of the profile chart. It should also be noted that there is a level of interpretation involved in the development of the Vision line and you may wish to adjust as you see fit.2

The case study Universities provided an opportunity to ‘test’ tools as part of the Learning Landscapes in Higher Education project and it is intended that Universities will use the tools themselves and validate accordingly to meet their needs.

The University Vision

Landmarks: Although the buildings along the quay front on the Brayford campus are well signposted they are of moderate impact as landmarks and brand identity markers.

Trophies and awards: The researchers did not see any trophies or awards showcased on campus. Additionally, the spaces in-between the buildings and courtyards have limted spatial animation in the form of posters and notice boards.

Learning clusters and nodes: The campus has distinct clusters that are created by the site constraints of the railway line and the motorway. These clusters are enhanced spatially by the

creation of central nodes or focus points (eg. the food court within the ‘main building’) which create an identity for the cluster. Moreover, the students’ union and incubator units adjacent to the library seem to have good synergy of uses that could feed off each other in terms of resource provision and time of use. There is however a huge design potential in linking up these synergies by stimulating the in-between space.

Stimulating architecture: The architectural style at the Brayford Campus is new modern and the buildings are mostly new and all in excellent condition. Lincoln benefits from its range of architectural buildings and space types on offer across the four campuses.

Faculty department logos or brands: At the Brayford Campus the researchers did not notice any indication of individual faculty logos or
‘department areas’ at the external campus level.

Entry, access and movement: There are several roads that lead into the campus from the west, south and east. The quay at the northern edge could be developed to allow for connectivity via boats etc. Movement through the campus is partially restricted by the railway tracks that run through the centre. However, in general, there is an ease of circulation through to most areas of the campus.

Covered circulation routes: Most of the circulation in the campus is exposed. However, the main building does have covered circulation through it that links the west and east ends of the campus.

Pedestrian and cycle circulation: There are pedestrian and cycle routes through the campus, especially on the North side of the railway tracks. However, there is potential in exploiting the waters’ edge to create a ‘pedestrian zone’ of walkways and seating and informal learning areas. There is also ample cycle parking on the campus.

Separation of service access: As the campus is linear and bounded on the west and east side by major roads, most of the service entries are arranged around these ends and along the railway edges, which separates the services nicely from the pedestrian and cycle routes.

The University Vision

Disabled access: All the buildings have disabled access which are well signposted.

Campus boundary: The Campus is at the periphery of the main city centre although there is a fluid edge condition with non-restricted access into the campus and there is an effort to link it to the high street of and into the city from the west end. However, the western edge of the campus is cut off from the city and the railway and motorway does create partial disconnects from the city.

Visual permeability: The linear arrangement of the campus allows for an easy visual permeability across most areas.

Multifunctional space on campus: There are few multifunctional spaces on campus. However as most of the buildings on campus are multi-faculty, they allow for synergies and a rich mix of students and faculties in the social hubs within the buildings (eg the food hall in the main space). The campus presently has interdisciplinary learning areas in the library and the new ‘hub’ space. However, there is potential for supporting informal learning within the current social areas and in the outdoor spaces.

Wireless access to support flexible working: There are a few hubs on campus that are wireless enabled areas from which students and staff can work. However, outdoor social areas are not wireless enabled.

Centrally time tabled space: There are a few centrally managed spaces which are time-tabled.

Facilities for the local community: The Campus has a primary care trust which is open to the local community as well. Other than that, there are limited facilities for the local community.

Campus maps and unified signage: Campus maps are present at both the main entrances of the campus and there is additional signage through the campus. The signage across the campus follows a unified graphic style.

Clarity and visibility of entrances: The new entrance at the east edge (library entrance) is well marked and clearly indicated with an aspiration to be the new connection into the high street and into the city centre. The entrance at the western end of the campus however is hidden and could be easily missed.

Sightlines: The linear site allows easy orientation and way finding with straight sighlines across most of the campus. Additionally, the campus is not very large and the routes through it linking the different building clusters are clear.

Space utilisation of the campus: The space utilisation at the moment is 33% (49% frequency x 68% occupancy) in core teaching space (7,677 m2).

24 hour buildings: The students’ union buildings are currently 24-hour buildings. This enhances the activities and uses at the eastern edge of the campus over which is also the main link into the city.

Use of social hubs on campus: The indoor social hubs on campus are well used in general because of the catering provision and wireless access that most of them are supported with. The outdoor seating areas however are underused and not supported for informal learning.

Well overlooked entrances and exits: The university entrances are public and ‘main-road facing’ which makes them well overlooked and populated through most of the day.

Security gate and ingress: There is no formal security gate or main reception for the university campus. There are no formal boundary walls or barriers which allow for a fluid transition from the city into the campus. The 24-hour buildings have restricted access by swipe cards. Other than this, there are no other separate security measures.

Lighting at night: The University is well-lit at night.

Fire escape signange: Fire escape signage is present in the buildings and assembly points well signposted on campus.