University of Delaware Student Experience Master Plan

Established in 1743, the UD proudly stands as one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher learning. Over the centuries, the Newark, DE campus has evolved, resulting in the emergence of four distinct campus districts, each with its unique character reflecting the era of its development. In line with our commitment to student success and equity, the Student Experience Master Plan has been crafted to build upon existing frameworks and master plans. By leveraging existing facilities and spaces, the plan aims to activate and connect the open areas of campus, ensuring a cohesive and enriching experience.

At the heart of this endeavor lies “The Experiential Pathway,” an initiative aimed at creating a seamless thread that cohesively ties together all campus districts and creates attraction once every minute along the walking journey through campus. Recognizing that the campus experience extends beyond the walls of buildings, this plan was developed through a deeply collaborative effort that blurred the lines between architecture and landscape architecture. By seamlessly integrating existing student support spaces with new attractions, the plan ensures there’s a captivating point of interest every minute along the walking journey through campus, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. The list below includes key projects our team has helped identify along this pathway:

Hen House Pocket Park is prominently located within the historic district of campus, the pocket park vision was set in place after an existing academic building was demolished. Our team envisioned an outdoor living room that serves student life organizations. The U of D’s mascot, the Fightin’ Blue Hens, served as inspiration for the Hen House iconic structure that offers outdoor habitat for university community.

The Pencader Hall is located on the hilltop of the Laird Campus quad, surrounded by several residential halls. Our team envisioned an enhanced entry experience for the dining facility, new opportunities for indoor/outdoor opacity and interaction, and a diverse array of outdoor program spaces that are much needed in this area of campus where many student reside. Medium to intimate-scale spaces for dining, play, lounging, working, collaboration, and gathering will compliment the opportunities of the large, open quad.

This plan also includes concepts for The Perkins Student Center and The Trabant University Center projects.