John Portman and Associates (JPA) worked with the client, the administration of Norfolk State University in Virginia, USA, in 2008 to develop a collective vision of the future of the university and how urban planning and architectural qualities would best illustrate that vision. As the main point of contact at JPA for this project, my inputs were extensive. Early in the project, it was agreed that environmentally sustainable goals were to be integrated into the design. Sustainable transport was integrated through bike paths, pedestrian paths, a university shuttle, and connectivity to the city via a nearby light rail station. Storm water detention, rather than defaulting to intrusive means, was provided via a landscaping and drainage solution of open green space that would be allowed to flood during the storm event like a pond. In addition, I analyzed other details of university operations via a “sustainability audit," resulting in recommendations explained on the diagram below. More project information can be found on JPA's website. * All images property of JPA.