Campus Design

Dartmouth College applies the following principles to guide the design for new building and landscape projects. These principles are not prescriptive in recognition of the need for any given project to respond individually to its unique circumstances of site, proximity, context, and program.

Campus Design Principles

The architecture of the campus is the most visible collection of our history which should be thoughtfully maintained and developed in a manner that preserves this rich and historic heritage.
New buildings should be designed to represent their era, in much the same way as our buildings of Colonial, Romantic, Georgian, Modern and Post-Modern eras. A campus with diversity of architecture provides a rich and thought-provoking learning environment and serves as a reminder of our heritage and our place in history.
New buildings should be harmonious with and connected to the surrounding context. This is especially important in scale and composition, while still allowing stylistic, technical, and material innovations.
New buildings and landscapes should be designed to respect the environment by embracing principles of sustainable design and promoting the health and wellness of their occupants.
The campus landscape should be a cohesive "fabric" that ties the campus together and supports and enhances a rich collection of distinct and historically appropriate architecture.