Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) have made a nature positive pledge and are a Founding Member of Nature Positive Universities, a global network of universities established by the UN Environment Programme and the University of Oxford. The initiative aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Over the last few years, the studio has worked closely with staff, students and stakeholders of Buckinghamshire New University, to develop a campus-wide masterplan which supports the university’s ambitious commitment to net-zero and to ensure a thriving and biodiverse place.

The wider masterplan identifies zones throughout the campus which are considered as a series of distinct spaces, each with their own identity, purpose and function. This approach has allowed for individual projects and/or phases to be developed independently with adjacent initiatives, while remaining consistent with the broader masterplan framework. 

The campus now includes a series of welcoming, green spaces where both the university members and the wider community can benefit. The Gateway Garden and the Concourse are complete, with concept designs underway for the Underpass, the Central Quad and Lily's Walk. The Gateway Garden, adjacent to the flagship Gateway building was newly landscaped in 2023 with several additional plant species introduced in the process, increasing biodiversity and contributing to the garden’s healthy eco-system. The concourse, which is the main thoroughfare across the campus linking the town with the district hospital is filled with biodiverse planting and seating made using upcycled materials, lovingly restored and installed by social enterprise, Oxford Wood Recycling. 

The remainder of the campus will be delivered in two phases: in the immediate term forming a series of light-touch, meaningful interventions which contribute to increased biodiversity and user wellbeing. In the long term, the interventions will form part of the full vision of BNU with an ecologically advanced and climate resilient campus, supporting health and well-being for students, staff and visitors.