The new campus master plan for a Saudi University responds to the client’s needs by developing a compact, walkable, and sustainable campus. The Taif University Master Plan is designed for 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students in phases. Phase 1 is for 42,000 students and was approved by King Salman in September 2017.
The compact campus reduces initial construction and operating costs by the potential sharing of expensive single use spaces like auditoriums and laboratories between colleges. The new master plan replaces a previous automobile-centric master plan. The efficient nature of the new campus master plan reduces energy consumption using: district cooling plants; reduced runs of underground utilities; shifting some interior circulation to the exterior; and many other energy conservation strategies. By employing shaded routes utilizing a series of pedestrian linked courtyards, walkability is enhanced. The master plan embraces local geology and ecology to create a unique and environmentally sensitive place of learning. The campus master plan and buildings combine state of the art technologies with planning principles of traditional Arab settlements.
Year: 2017
Location: Taif, Saudi Arabia