Wilfrid Laurier University
Milton Campus Master Plan

A Holistically Sustainable Living Laboratory

Rooted in Indigenous principles of land stewardship and placekeeping, the Laurier Milton Campus will exemplify approaches to ecological sustainability, innovation, and inclusiveness. Well-connected open spaces and state-ofthe-art buildings will create a living laboratory that fosters hands-on learning, connection, and wellbeing for students, staff, faculty, and the broader community.

The master planning process for the new Laurier Milton Campus involved significant consultation and engagement with a diverse mix of University stakeholders as well as neighbours, government officials, and members of Laurier’s Indigenous Education Council. Through these conversations, major themes began to emerge, including ideas of connections with the earth, pedestrian-friendliness, strengthening Laurier’s culture, incorporating lndigeneity, social and community connections, and a welcoming atmosphere.

What was loud and clear from the participants was the need for a focus on holistic sustainability in all aspects of the campus’ design and programming. This included thinking about resource cycles and life- cycle costs, responsible stewardship of the land, embodied and operational carbon emissions, technology, and innovation.

Eight Guiding Principles were established to inform decision-making over the course of the campus’ development:

1. Create a campus whose DNA is rooted in sustainability and innovation

2. Adopt Indigenous worldviews and perspectives in the design and programming of the campus

3. Recognize and honour the rich diversity of those who inhabit the campus by creating an equitable, inclusive place where everyone can belong and thrive

4. Foster personal and community connections through the design of buildings, open spaces, and a network of pedestrian greenways

5. Create a lively, healthy, and safe campus that promotes wellbeing through learning, socializing, and experiencing nature

6. Encourage land stewardship by reinforcing visual and physical connections between the campus, the Greenbelt, and the Niagara Escarpment

7. Showcase natural ecologies, systems, and research in stormwater treatment within the Greenbelt lands

8. Balance immediate campus needs with a flexible and resilient long-term vision