Buildings along Indiana Avenue are intended to have ground floor storefronts that will align well with retail dining and can even be an opportunity for locally owned businesses to contribute to a campus experience that is uniquely Indianapolis. In an urban context, the streetscape plays a larger role in the overall sense of open space and acts as a transitional edge between the campus and the city. Plazas and adjacent open spaces offer opportunities to weave together the perimeter streetscapes with the campus interior and provide venues for both everyday use and special events by the community and the university.

At North Street, what was once a road between parking lots will become a lively pedestrian mall at the heart of campus life with mixed-use buildings featuring housing, dining, and student amenities. Loosely defined housing clusters support a more integrated student experience. Ground floors are high-value opportunities to create a network of welcoming, shared environments that foster interaction and engagement. Equally important are strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces. Buildings should be designed with frequent and meaningful visual and physical connections to adjacent open spaces—through views, doorways, and shared thresholds—to allow indoor and outdoor activities to enrich one another. Transparency also allows learning and research to be put on display, contributing to a sense of activity and vibrancy throughout campus.

A reimagined N California Street is an example of planned campus change to support evolving needs. The renewed street will reestablish a connection to Indiana Avenue and reflect the historic city grid. Envisioned as a multi-modal corridor similar to a “woonerf,” a Dutch concept for a shared space accommodating pedestrians and low-speed vehicles, this area can be closed for events. The near-term transformation balances connectivity with flexible, programmable space, offering an early glimpse of a larger vision for a network of high-quality campus open spaces. Street fairs and community events welcome the neighborhood in, proving that even short-term moves can be powerful, forward-thinking steps toward long-term change. In the 50-Year Vision this street could evolve into a fully pedestrianized zone when an adjacent parking garage is demolished and there is less vehicular demand.

Urban campuses have a unique opportunity to contribute to the public realm. The rotating student population experiences exemplary urban design practices and then brings those experiences with them after graduation. At Purdue in Indianapolis, streetscapes, plazas, and open spaces will act as bridges between the institution and its neighbors, fostering engagement and mutual benefit.