Permeable edge

Upon visiting the campus of Fort Valley State University, one of the first things noticed is the non-locatable entrances and the border wall surrounding the campus. However, when conversing with the students, no one said they hated the wall. In fact, they said they liked it. Quite quickly it came forward that the wall provided a sense of security. Yet, the current wall made it difficult to be immersed with the community. Through these revelations, the compromise of a permeable edge seemed like a probable solution.

A permeable edge is one that is easily passed through at many locations. It allows the feel of an open campus without taking away a sense of protection. An open campus is a necessary aspect for a university to be truly successful, especially one that is a land grant university. The benefits of the edge are both exterior and interior facing with the community able to benefit from them too. The students and faculty asked for outdoor entertainment, event notification, security, technology, and a “wow factor.” This permeable edge can be a resolution to all their aspirations, providing a competitive “edge” over alternative universities.