Believing that adversarial systems generally impede progress, the college has always encouraged collaborative problem-solving and the development of consensus. Many of the colleges academic programs and projects contribute by working in formal and informal partnerships with town governments, state agencies, Acadia National Park. and other federal entities, businesses, and conservation organizations throughout Maine and beyond. The landscape, the layout of the buildings and their internal design, should represent and serve the values of human ecology more effectively. Specifically, COA must plan and build to reduce compartmentalization, both of knowledge and function, and to advance the interaction and integration of all the College's constituencies. COA's recent growth has strained classrooms, offices, laboratories parking, and circulation.
Older buildings require on-going maintenance.
Some, like Turrets, a national historic landmark, face significant code compliance issues. More recently, as the college has acquired significant land and buildings at its southern boundary, the challenge of integrating the campus has come sharply into focus. This report marks the conclusion of the first phase in the collaboration. Presented in this Phase 1 Planning Report is the first iteration of a conceptual framework for translating the needs and aspirations of the College community into a campus development plan. It will be both a point of departure for further discussion by the full College community and a guide for future steps in the planning process.