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synopsis

At the request of Governor and founder Leland Stanford, Frederick Law Olmsted began designing the campus for Stanford University in 1886. Mr. Stanford would prove to be a strong-minded collaborator, following his vision of a flat campus and dismissing Olmsted’s initial plan of placing the buildings in the foothills of the city, overlooking San Francisco.

At the request of Governor and founder Leland Stanford, Frederick Law Olmsted began designing the campus for Stanford University in 1886. Mr. Stanford would prove to be a strong-minded collaborator, following his vision of a flat campus and dismissing Olmsted’s initial plan of placing the buildings in the foothills of the city, overlooking San Francisco. Olmsted suggested “thirteen buildings proposed to be erected in the early years of the new University” in which all but one would be used for instruction and continuing he “would strongly recommend one-story buildings...consisting of 55,000 square feet.” Conflicting from the beginning of their partnership, correspondence shows that “Both the Gov. and Mrs. Stanford on looking at the model were very much disappointed, as you expected at seeing the rear of the buildings as they called it towards the approach.” [Charles Coolidge to FLO_1887-05-03_LOC-OAR-B-R54-im.25] Throughout the process Olmsted stayed committed to designing a sustainable campus in terms of plantings, including only native and drought resistant “trees that are likely to endure the climate, with or without artificial watering.” [Leland Stanford_1886-11-30_LOC-OAR-B-R54-im.7&8] [Charles Coolidge to FLO_1887-05-03_LOC-OAR-B-R54-im.25] [Preliminary Memoranda for Nursery_1888_LOC-OAR-B-R54-im.41]

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