Place

Indiana University

Black and white of path cutting through flat tree area leading to large buildings
Indiana University, Job #09081, Bloomington, IN

Olmsted Archives

Quick Facts
Location:
Bloomington, IN
Significance:
Olmsted Designed School
Starting in 1929, Indiana University hired Olmsted Brothers to help in the planning and development of their campus. Working at the University for a total of seven years, Olmsted Brothers developed 161 plans for the campus.

In a June 1936 letter to Indiana University’s Board of Trustees, Olmsted Brothers sent photographs of two models done for schools, one for Phillips Andover Academy, the other for Phillips Exeter Academy. Olmsted Brothers believed the University could seriously benefit from studying the model, particularly regarding the future development of the campus.

Olmsted Brothers wanted the University’s trustees to understand how much easier it would be to experiment with models when deciding sites for new buildings, specifically its size, form, and character. Models allowed everyone to visualize the problem, leading to conclusions with clearer understanding.

After having already placed some buildings on campus, Olmsted Brothers noted that had a model been available, they likely would have chosen a different site, one less crowded. Olmsted Brothers also encouraged the University to place a potential model in a highly trafficked part of campus, so people would frequently see it, and get enthusiastic about the new design.

Though Olmsted Brothers warned Indiana University that purchasing a model may seem like a large expenditure, one could reasonably call it insurance for the development of a well-organized and efficient plan.

Source: "Indiana University," The Cultural Landscape Foundation

For more information and primary resources, please visit:
Olmsted Research Guide Online
Olmsted Archives on Flickr

Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

Last updated: June 6, 2024