SERA prepared the 2001 Master Plan for Eastern Oregon University. For this new effort, SERA, in collaboration with Dreiseitl + Place landscape architects, is developing the Eastern Oregon University Master Plan as a 10-year planning framework intended to help the University achieve its core educational mission through strategic capital investments. The 2012 EOU Master Plan is intended to provide a framework for on-campus growth rather than a specific prescriptive development plan in order to allow the University the flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. The Master Plan was developed with sensitivity to the University’s unique character, geographic location, focus on pragmatic, yet innovative, development, and commitment to being an affordable and accessible institution of higher education in the region.
The Master Plan process originated from a site-based perspective, which incorporates a thorough understanding of existing conditions and surrounding context, natural systems, and climate responsive building siting. The result is a comprehensive framework that uses core design principles for circulation and open space design, athletic upgrades, and capital project improvements that will further the University’s mission. The design principles and resulting framework were developed through an iterative process with EOU Steering Group, faculty and staff, and the broader student community. The design team used workshops, open houses, online surveys, and presentations throughout the process.
Key design components and capital projects include daylighting and restoring Mill Creek on campus to create a unique educational and character amenity, as well as to protect buildings from flooding; replacing Hunt Hall with a new Technology Center to accommodate on-campus residential growth and changing technologies; constructing an all-season playing field and indoor field house so that open spaces can be used more efficiently, and so EOU can host regional athletic events in addition to their own; and a new academic building with classrooms and offices that are more conducive to modern technology and learning trends.
