The University Couloir: Exploring Physical and Intellectual Connectivity

Connectivity in both its tangible and intangible forms is a fundamental feature of all aspects of university life though often overlooked in much of the relevant literature. Using the metaphor of the couloir, this paper will examine features of university design and organisation which contribute to this connectivity, in its various senses, across the institution. A typology of connectivity features is proposed, setting efficiency of movement against possibilities for social interaction, with another axis contrasting open/public against closed/private spaces. Universities, which everywhere have both public and private dimensions, seem to have features that occupy a central place in this typology, highlighting the multifaceted nature of connectivity in university life. The significance of connectivity should inform a range of institutional policies affecting space design and use as well as methods in teaching and learning.