In this report, the consultants present the results of the analysis phase of their work, in which they became familiar with the Michigan campus and its unique characteristics as an institution of higher education, and as a physical entity. The data gathered as a part of this effort, which will provide the basis for future planning decisions, is presented, as well as some preliminary conclusions as to the significance of this information and its importance with respect to future planning decisions. The Overview is the primary planning document produced by VSBA, and is available in its entirety on this web site.

Phase 1 Overview – April 22, 1998 (PDF, 106 pages)

Phase 1 Overview in Sections

• Table of Contents
• Index of Illustrations
• Index of Maps, Diagrams & Acknowledgements
• Introduction and Summary
• The Michigan Campus
  • Sections A & B
    • Campus Development
    • The “Learning From” Process
  • Learning from the Many Landscapes of the University
  • Campus Patterns
  • Soil and Drainage Patterns
• MGOPIO I
• Sections A-D
  • Mission of the University
  • Plan Overview
  • Aesthetics, Design and Preservation
  • The Environment and Natural Systems
• Sections E-H
  • Activities, Functional Relationships and Space Use
  • Circulation, Transit and Parking
  • Town-Gown Relationships and the Community
  • The Planning Process
• Conclusions and Next Steps

Additional VSBA Reports

The following three documents represent additional information gathered by VSBA, as well as selected illustrations prepared for public presentations. The documents are not available on the web in their entirety, but the index for each is included here which indicates the types of maps, etc., contained in the documents. The entire documents may be viewed at The Art, Architecture and Engineering Library in the Duderstadt Center on North Campus.

Appendix to Overview

In this appendix, the consultants present the results of the additional information gathered following the completion of the Overview. Information on both the physical character of the region, city, and campus is presented, as well as academic organization and student behavior patterns. The knowledge gained as a result of this work provides additional information to the Overview as a basis for future planning decisions.

Overview – Appendix – Index (PDF, 1 page)

Public Presentation Update of Campus Planning – Selected Illustrations

In this report the consultants focus directly upon the Michigan campus analyzing such issues as land use, transportation, and landscape. From there, they proceed to an examination of theoretical concepts of campus linkages, and the identification of dominant arts and science axes on the Central Campus. These two concepts are then applied to a critical site located at the intersection of the arts and sciences axes, which also provides the opportunity for an effective linkage between the Central Campus and the Medical Center. In the last section of the report, a specific site planning concept for the development of this site is proposed. This concept is the basis for the Palmer Drive Development Project, now under construction.

Public Presentation Update of Campus Planning – Index (PDF, 1 page)

Public Presentation Update of Medical Center Campus Planning – Selected Illustrations

In this report the consultants focus specifically on the area of the Medical Center beginning with a more in-depth analysis of issues such as land use, theoretical development concepts, linkages, and building characteristics. Particular emphasis is placed on issues of transportation and parking because of their critical importance to the development of the Medical Center. A potential development concept is then proposed in terms of both future building development and supporting transportation and circulation systems. Finally, potential building sites and building relationships are examined in greater detail. In the last section of the report, a similar analysis and definition of potential development sites is carried out for the Wall Street area.

Public Presentation Update of Medical Center Campus Planning – Index (PDF, 1 page)