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from the issue of April 21, 2005
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Project helps identify strong, weak images of campus
Sketches offer new look at UNL
BY TROY FEDDERSON, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Campus planners are using a series of 10-minute sketches to form the existing urban image of UNL.
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| | | This student sketch is one of the maps Dave Peterson is collecting for the cognitive mapping concept.
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Through a concept headed by Dave Peterson, a planner in Institutional Research & Planning, campus planning is asking groups of students, faculty and staff to draw out their personal map of UNL's two-campus system. The results are then tabulated to forge an overall vision as to how UNL is perceived.
"We are looking for areas that present a strong image, and areas that are weak," Peterson said. "From those results, we can work to strengthen all areas and then we can market ourselves better and create a more desirable campus."
The idea stems from the book, The Image of The City, written in 1960 by MIT professor Kevin Lynch. In the book, Lynch outlines five basic areas that all cultures use to build mental images of their surroundings. Those five areas are paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks.
"When you navigate around all of those things combine to form your image of the urban environment," Peterson said. "And, it is more than just positive or negative. These are the types of things that allow you to function, to get around and remind us where to go."
Paths are simply streets, walkways, and all forms of transit lines. Peterson said paths are the predominant image builder because what we view from paths structures our individual views.
Edges are areas that divide our environments into different zones. Districts include sections that have commonality in them (such as the Fine Arts area of campus). Nodes are focal points within districts (such as the Sheldon Sculpture Gardens or Broyhill Fountain). And, landmarks are elements within our environment that can be seen at a distance and help offer orientation when moving through our surroundings.
Over the course of the last three months, Peterson - and other members of Institutional Research & Planning - has met with groups of campus individuals, handing out sheets of paper and giving them 10 minutes to sketch their campus maps.
Everyone approaches the exercise a bit differently - some laying out streets then buildings, others just penciling in labeled buildings at random.
"I've gotten about 200 maps now and they include some really good stuff," Peterson said, pointing out an East Campus map that included the phrase, "mmm-mmmm," next to the Dairy Store. "For us, this is just a great way to see the image people have of campus, see what areas are memorable and which are not."
The Dairy Store received the most recognition with over 50 map identifications. Also on East Campus, the East Union, Miller Hall and Ag Hall were labeled on most maps.
On City Campus, the Nebraska Union, Love Library and area along R Street in front of the two were the most identified spots.
The outer rims of both campus - including the stretch of Architecture, Brace and Richards on City Campus - rated as the least-identified areas.
Peterson continues to gather and compile results on UNL's urban image. He has created a contour map of responses and is breaking the information down to identify exactly which paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks stick out in individuals' minds.
| | These contour maps (City Campus on the left, East Campus on the right) show the areas identified by students, faculty and staff. The darker areas have received the most identifications. These maps represent early returns, with Dave Peterson working toward a final outline this summer.
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Ultimately, Peterson said the mapping project would help shape the update of the UNL master plan.
"I think we need to do this type of exercise and weigh it against the master plan recommendations," Peterson said. "Really, this will help us see if the things recommended in the plan can help us improve the image of campus."
He said results of the urban image survey can also help decide where new buildings need to go, if some areas should be left as is, and how best to incorporate new sidewalks into campus.
"The relationship between this mapping and the master plan is symbiotic, one can help the other," Peterson said. "There are some areas on campus that are always going to be stronger than others. But, I think there is a lot we can do to strengthen the weaker areas and make campus a better place for everyone."
GO TO: ISSUE OF APRIL 21
NEWS HEADLINES FOR APRIL 21
Students help extend legacy of Melvin Jones
Learning communities to expand this fall
Sketches offer new look at UNL
UNL team wins $3M DoD grant
A Piece of University History
Libraries take steps to curb plagiarism
Students, clients team up to design software
UNL helps tsunami victims from half a world away
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