Middletown, CT

Like its population, Wesleyan's physical environment is richly diverse. It is an eclectic collection of discrete and distinctly beautiful areas, including the original 1830's College Row and the Center for Fine Arts.

When Ayers/Saint/Gross was commissioned to develop the master plan, three principles were established:

• A firmly rooted sense of place: Establish a collective commitment to the quality of the collegial environment
• A well-connected community: Create/improve visual and physical connections to the campus core; establish appropriate relationships with Middletown
• Reaffirm the Wesleyan identity: Project the image of a uniquely great university.

These principles were the basis of a final campus plan that:

• Establishes design guidelines for all of the grounds on campus
• Sites new academic buildings for the arts, sciences, and humanities
• Recommends a campus-wide housing plan, including strategies for divesting of multiple wood frame houses
• Develops a campus-wide parking plan in concert with the city
• Presents recommendations for outlying properties.

Although planning is complete, Ayers/Saint/Gross has been retained to advise the University in architectural selection, design review, and landscape projects.

Completion: 2003
Size: 280 acres