Synopses & Reviews
American Places calls for campuses to be designed, not only to heighten the quality of the learning experience, but also as working demonstrations of ways in which places everywhere can be transformed into more healthy, humane, civic environments. For the college campus, "place" should mean much more than geography and physical setting. It represents the sum of the experiences, activities, events, and memories that occur within the campus boundaries. Today, American institutions of higher education are devoting renewed attention to the question of how the quality and character of place can support their goals. In doing so, campus communities are seeking to reclaim psychological ground that was lost in the decades after World War II, when the traditional virtues of campus coherence, human scale, and place distinction were overtaken by explosive growth in attendance and the growing prevalence of automobiles. The quest to make better places of college campuses has a critical practical dimension, Chapman maintains: it bolsters student and faculty recruitment, and it improves donor support in an increasingly competitive environment. But behind the pragmatic concerns lies the recognition of place as the all-important bridge between institutional traditions and the societal changes that higher education institutions must address in the new century to maintain their currency as important American places. The campus setting binds the memories of generations, giving it the perceived attribute of timelessness. American Places is a plea: that 21st-century American campuses will collectively adopt an ethic of place supported by principles of sustainability, authenticity, and community.
Review
"American Places: In Search of the 21st Century Campus illustrates just how important the prudent stewardship of American campus resources will be in an era when greater demand is being placed on higher education and less predictable financial support is being made available. As a university leader responsible for ensuring that the quality of the campus environment gives vigor to the academic and social learning experience, I am pleased that a book has finally been written that amplifies the critical importance of that relationship. The themes of the book remind us of the crucial role that our colleges and universities play in setting examples for a better human environment in America." - Brady Deaton Chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia
Review
"Chapman offer architects and planners cogent information on the development of campuses. Through his insider's eye, we view the struggles of institutions of many different types, as they contend with today's problems and endeavor to use their heritage to meet the future. And through his passion for design and "the heritage of place." the campus saga is ennobled. He gives administrators, trustees, students and faculty knowledge they need to be thoughtful clients in the campus planning and design process. Lucky the architect or planner whose steering committees and user groups have the information in this book at their fingertips." - Denise Scott Brown Architect/Author Principal, Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates
Review
"I was completely seduced by Perry Chapmans' new book, In Search of the 21st Century Campus. Chapman's theme is compelling--American college campuses vary in design and style as much as they vary in mission, location, and history, yet each campus is a landscape of learning that mirrors the institutions's traditions and values. The architecture of our campuses speaks volumes about what we believe and hold as core values--not only for our students, but for society at large. This book was truly transformational for me, and I recommend it to any campus community that is engaged in strategic planning and facilities master planning. After consuming Perry Chapmans' work, you will not look at your campus in the same way ever again." - Phillip D. Creighton, Ph.D. President, Pacific University
Synopsis
For the college campus, "place" means much more than just geography and physical setting. It is the sum of the experiences, activities, events, and memories that occur within the campus. American institutions of higher education are giving renewed attention to the question of how the quality and character of place can support the endeavors of the institutions. In doing so, campus communities are seeking to reclaim ground that was lost in the decades after World War II, when the traditional virtues of campus coherence, human scale, and place distinction were overtaken by explosive growth in attendance rates and the growing prevalence of automobiles. American Places calls for campuses to be conceived, not only to heighten the quality of the learning experience, but also as working demonstrations of how places everywhere can be transformed into more healthy, humane, civic environments. As campuses and communities are reshaped by societal forces, the campus will endure as a vital civil learning environment well into the 21st century.
Synopsis
Examines the important implications of the sense of place in the modern college environment.
About the Author
M. PERRY CHAPMAN is a professional planner and principal at Sasaki Associates, Inc., where he specializes in college campus design. He also directed the firm's environmental plans for the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. He has lectured at several colleges, presented numerous conference papers, and has written articles on campus design for journals and publications such as Architecture and the Architectural Record Review. He was a finalist in the 1982 Mitchell Prize international competition for essays on the sustainable society and a 1984 Practitioner Fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge, MA.