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Project Description
Riverpoint Campus Master Plan 2009 Update
University District east of Downtown Spokane
City
of Spokane
Completed: July 2009
The Riverpoint Campus
Master Plan 2009 Update was undertaken as a further development of the
original 2000 Master Plan. This 2000 Master Plan was the first such
plan to identify the goal of creating a campus that was urban in
nature. Other goals identified in the 2000 Master Plan included:
creating pedestrian-scale walks and malls; developing connections
through the campus to the downtown core, Centennial Trail, and Spokane
River; encouraging the use of alternative forms of transportation;
developing underground and structured parking; and enhancing the
streetscape with a variety of amenities such as lighting, seating and
landscaping.
A number of
circumstances surrounding the Riverpoint Campus have changed since 2000,
prompting the need for the 2009 update. These changes include:
expansion of the Convention Center west of the campus, establishment of
a larger University District (and its corresponding Master Plan),
extension of Riverside Avenue to the east (and subsequent downgrade of
Spokane Falls Boulevard to two-lane traffic), construction of two new
major campus buildings, and the establishment of a public-private
partnership to develop the land to the south of Spokane Falls Boulevard
at the west edge of the campus, including the historic Jensen-Byrd
building.
The
2009 Master Plan Update added an academic vision to the development of
the campus. This academic vision creates at its core a strong health
sciences emphasis capitalizing on Spokane’s outstanding reputation as a
regional healthcare hub. With emphasis on an integrated health-team
concept and applied research and outreach, the campus is seen as a
vibrant 24/7 destination with an urban character supporting a variety of
uses and integrating with surrounding neighborhoods and the downtown
core. Also new to the 2009 Master Plan Update is the goal of creating a
sustainable campus. In addition to improving the energy efficiency of
both existing and new structures, this goal identifies strategies to
reduce the overall impact of the campus today as well as into the future
such as reducing/reusing stormwater runoff, employing alternative
landscaping methods and materials, and creating construction standards
promoting sustainable practices.
As an extension of
Spokane’s urban fabric, campus circulation patterns are laid out with
respect to the traditional city grid. Campus entries are defined by
gateways that may take the form of signage, differing surface materials,
landscaping, or built structures that announce the campus and create a
sense of arrival. Within the campus itself, urban infill creates a
dense, vibrant atmosphere reflective of the city just beyond the campus
edge. The geometric organization of building mass and circulation
patterns is softened by a hierarchy of open spaces and plazas designed
to provide each building with quality outdoor gathering space.
Overall, the Riverpoint
Campus Master Plan 2009 Update takes a fresh look at the development of
this important center of the larger University District, solidifying
those goals established in 2000, and adding a new vision for its future
as an urban campus of regional and ultimately national significance. |
2009
Mayor's Urban Design Award Winner
