The Informing Diagram

Collegial planning processes, brought to constructive conclusion, usually require summary statements to explain the principles and desired outcomes of sector designs and concepts. The diagrams may be drawn to simulate reality or to illustrate constraints and opportunities of paramount importance. Each type of diagram has a specific purpose and message. All contribute to informing the campus constituencies about the desired campus design outcomes. The degree of definitiveness reflects the issues being addressed and the decision making objectives.

The Pomona College Campus Center diagram (top left) demonstrated the scale, optimum foot print, and position of a proposed major addition to an existing building. Renown for its campus landscape, the location and quality of existing trees was a strong site influence, as well as the continuation and integration of certain campus paths into the overall design. The result was approval of site location, the melding of new construction and renovated older space, and a decision to proceed with facility programming.

The James Madison University sector development concept (bottom left) was situated on vacant farm land. Here an air view of the future was needed to indicate how several different building types (described in detail in a facility program) could be organized around a landscaped courtyard, adjacent the University's nascent science and technology precinct. Building services and precinct parking would be accessed from a state road to the east, while a campus road brought limited traffic to the ceremonial front door, and a secondary entrance to the parking lot. Realistic dimensioning and expression of site development confirmed the campus plan concept and triggered the succeeding preparation of specific designs.

Richard P. Dober