Golden Gate University
CAMPUS OPTIMIZATION PLAN 2021
How do you plan a post-pandemic campus in the middle of a pandemic?
In 2020, Golden Gate University (GGU) wanted to capitalize on unprecedented times to accelerate long-term campus planning goals. While most universities froze long-term planning activities during the pandemic, GGU ramped up theirs, asking, how can we leverage the fact that no one is on-campus to ensure more effective space utilization focused around an increasingly remote student body? MKThink responded by realigning the university's One University campus plan from 2015 with present-day and future academic goals and emerging realities. MKThink's assessment led to a 20% reduction in the campus footprint. At the same time, our space cost allocation model created a closer link between space use and annual budgeting, leaving more campus space for student-centered programming. Strategic use of libraries and event spaces and the introduction contemporary pedagogical or workplace strategies made the campus optimization feasible. Flexibility is crucial to the plan's success, which is employing a robust change management program to maintain a balance between policy, place, and technology.
BREAKDOWN:
DATE: 2021
CITY: San Francisco
STATE: California
SIZE/SCALE: 120,000 SF
MARKET: Higher Education
SERVICES: Visioning, Programming, Space Planning, Utilization Study Occupancy Study, and Change Management.
PROJECT:
CHALLENGE: Leverage the pandemic to accelerate the achievement of longterm institutional goals.
APPROACH: MKThink conducted over 20 remote workshops over six months to assess and refresh student, instructional, and operational needs. University-wide surveys, course-and-classroom utilization analysis, and scheduling models validated user requirements and the efficacy of the resulting space plan.
RESULT: MKThink's assessment led to a 20% reduction of the campus footprint. At the same time, our space cost allocation model created a closer link between space use and annual budgeting, leaving more campus space for student-centered programming.
