By the time that Mount Royal received approval to start building on the Lincoln Park site, college leaders had been busy planning the architectural and educational design of the new campus for a number of years. Construction of the campus was planned in three phases, with each stage adding further classroom and residence space. The goal was for Mount Royal to be able to serve up to 10,000 students by Phase III of construction, which was tentatively planned for 1977-1979. To accommodate enrollment growth and changes to programs over a projected decade of construction, Mount Royal leaders wanted to design a college campus that was adaptable and unique. The architectural design of the campus was impacted by two main factors; the Leggett Model of instruction and the rise of the American shopping mall.
Photograph of senior architect, John Stevenson (left) and Stan Leggett attending the sod turning ceremony for Lincoln Park campus. Stevenson and Leggett were instrumental in deciding the physical character and pedagogical model of the new campus. 0046-01-0004 - The story of the Lincoln Park Campus of Mount Royal College - June 24, 1970 to - Jim Cameron fonds
Advice from the Student Union on how to adjust to the new self-paced study model. T056 - Survival
Mount Royal College's Building and Property Committee determined some of the guiding principles that would determine the educational model for the new campus. They envisioned large, multipurpose spaces that would prioritize change and flexibility, as well as providing multiple opportunities for students to interact with faculty and with each other. These concepts were incorporated into a new educational model for the college that became known as the Leggett model.
Stan Leggett, of the educational consultant firm Englehardt, Englehardt and Leggett, was hired in 1969 to develop a new pedagogical model for Mount Royal. The model divided education into three components: lectures (30%), discussions (15%), and independent study (55%). Previously, Mount Royal focused on providing instruction in the environment of small classrooms and laboratories. Leggett placed a higher emphasis on study that was self-paced, independent, individual, and employed high levels of technology and interdisciplinary methodologies. Students were given more control over their education, with the freedom to pursue individual interests, engage in career-orientated programs, and easily transition to other institutions for advanced level degrees.
Given the high degree of agency given to students in the Leggett Model, the role of faculty at the new campus was significantly different. Students were considered to be, in a way, their own teachers. They were expected to ask questions, identify problems, and make decisions about their own learning. Faculty were expected to take on a more supporting role, posing the initial question and then waiting to be called on for help. In order to prepare faculty for this new role, Mount Royal developed the 'Towards 72' document (see left) to help instructors adapt their courses and instruction methods.
Photograph of the resource island for biology, chemistry, geography, geology, petroleum engineering and environmental science. T083 - 'This is Mount Royal: Lincoln Park'
Photograph of faculty offices and flexible student learning spaces in the Learning Library. T083 - This is Mount Royal: Lincoln Park'
The adoption of the Leggett Model had direct implications for the architectural design of the new campus. Flexible spaces for instruction and spaces that were meant to encourage 'informal learning' were built into the campus design. The new library, called the Learning Resources Centre, is a good example of how the college's new educational goals were to be supported by architectural design. The Learning Resources Centre was designed to be the main learning hub of the campus. Two stories tall and larger than three football fields, the library was the single largest space in the new campus and acted as a central repository for all physical resources. Material circulation took place via 'resources islands,' semi-autonomous collections of books, periodicals, and audiovisual materials organized by discipline. Resource islands were staffed by subject-specific staff and provided a central location for students from that discipline to research and learn. The design also tried to encourage informal learning and discussion by locating over 200 faculty offices in the library near the resources islands. The idea was that students could easily liaise with or simply 'encounter' faculty as needed. The Leggett Model also prioritized the creation of spaces for both independent thought and social and meeting spaces, translating into unique spaces such as seminar pits, fireplaces lounges, and an abundance of student-focused spaces.
Movable desk partitions in the Learning Library. 0001-02-06 - Joel Barrett fonds
View of the Resource Islands from the second floor of the Learning Library. 0001-02-11- Joel Barrett fonds
Student study carrels in the Learning Library. 0001-02-05- Joel Barrett fonds
After a competitive search for an architectural firm, college administrators selected the Calgary-based firm Stevenson, Raines, Barrett, Hutton, Seton and Partners. As part of the design process, college leaders and the architects toured college campuses across Ontario and the United Sates for inspiration. The greatest inspiration for Mount Royal's new campus ended up being the shopping mall. The architects were taken with the idea of the campus being a megastructure with a central core that would act as a 'one-stop shop' for student needs and services. The main hallway, now known as Main Street, was the central artery moving students from one end of campus to the other and connecting students to primary services such as the library, bookstore, bank, food services, and bar.
In addition to the shopping mall concept, the architects incorporated many of the most popular and current design styles of the time to give the campus a modern and unique aesthetic. The geometric design of the expansive outdoor terraces, the campy colours of the carpets and terracotta hallway tiles, the liberal incorporation of wood paneling, and the use of large blocks of concrete as the primary building material are all classic examples of the brutalist, postmodern architectural style that predominated in the 1970s. The goal was for the campus to reflect the values of individualism, experimentation, and high-tech modernism that were being implemented in the college's educational design.
Terraced outdoor steps. T483- JBP21.15 - Janet Brown Photograph Collection
Stevenson Plaza. T083 - 'This is Mount Royal: Lincoln Park'
Inner courtyard. 0001-02-10 - Joel Barrett fonds
Campus building and carillon tower from across the reflecting pond. T409- External Relations - Binder 1 - E72 1-85
With the Lincoln Park site secured, the design complete, and the planning for a new educational experience well on its way, Mount Royal finally could begin construction. A sod-turning ceremony was held on June 30, 1970 to mark the momentous occasion, with college administrators, the architects, community leaders, and representatives from the municipal and provincial government in attendance. The ground was officially broken by Minister of Education Robert Clark and the chairman of the Mount Royal Board of Governors, Howard Wright.
Chairman of the Mount Royal Board of Governors, Howard Wright, and Minster of Education, Robert. C. Clark, breaking ground on the Lincoln Park site. 0046-01-002 - The story of the Lincoln Park Campus of Mount Royal College - June 24, 1970 to - Jim Cameron fonds
Left top: Mount Royal Vice-President of Business Services, W.G.M. Rae awaiting the call for the ceremonial ground breaking shovel. 0046-01-004 - The story of the Lincoln Park Campus of Mount Royal College - June 24, 1970 to - Jim Cameron fonds
Left bottom: President of Mount Royal College, Dr. Walter Pentz giving a speech at the sod-turning ceremony. 0046-01-003 - The story of the Lincoln Park Campus of Mount Royal College - June 24, 1970 to - Jim Cameron fonds
Program for the ceremony, June 24th 1970. T432
Construction began in November 1970 and took two years to complete. Progress of the construction was documented by a local photographer, Jim Cameron, who was hired by the college for the purpose. Cameron took several thousand photographs that illustrate the weekly development of the new campus over 82 weeks of construction.