Campus in the city

This month Chairman of the University Court Larry Rolland has agreed to break with tradition and put on his professional architect's hat to comment on the importance of developing a vision such as the new Campus in the City plan. He talked to Carol Pope.

Buildings are often taken for granted as expensive necessities, but the contribution which creative design can make in transforming buildings into architecture is of tremendous value. Environmental quality can increase the well being of an area and engender a sense of purpose. One needs only look to Edinburgh to see this in action. Terry Farrell, a world class master planner, brought in to design the Conference Centre; an open competition for the Museum of Scotland won by Benson and Forsyth; gold medallist Sir Michael Hopkins' Dynamic Earth, and a further competition for the controversial and new Scottish Parliament building won by the Spanish architect Miralles have snowballed, igniting a demand for more quality architecture as well as creating a sense of excitement and elation in Scotland's capital.

Architecture is the unavoidable art - the added value to the environment that people feel then begin to want and demand. Dundee has made a good start with Richard Murphy's lively DCA building, the result of an open competition. The effect in the city is tangible and you can see how people begin to talk more about architecture and demand more quality in their surroundings. It is marvellous that Frank Gehry, another world class architect, through his family friendship has donated the design of the new Maggie Centre at Ninewells. I want to see Dundee University develop and continue this enlightened approach to its master planning and future development.

Measuring the added value of an inspired building is not easy in hard cash terms. How much is Gehry's Guggenheim Museum worth to Bilbao's economy, or Richard Rogers' Pompidou Centre to Paris? I remember the economist, Galbraith asking how one would ever sell the idea of building Venice, but the value of enlightened, stimulating and creative design is tangible and undeniable and marketable.

Development in a piecemeal opportunistic way may seem thrifty, even pragmatic, but the economies made in the short term quickly unravel. That short-sightedness also dulls down the vision and confidence and kills exuberance. This is why employing first class architects to look at a long term vision for our campus - dreaming a future - is so important and why I hope we give it serious consideration.

Everything we do in our built estate, however small, should be tackled with a view to enhancing the quality of our environment. What we await is the opportunity within the campus to make our contribution to Dundee's progress with new and inspiring architecture - perhaps the prospect of the Queen Mother Centenary Research Centre or the arrangements for the Northern College accommodation would provide that opportunity.

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