Hargreaves Jones was hired to develop an overall master plan for the University that looks to connect the campuses to each other and to the City of Montpellier. The plan focuses on several new building initiatives including a central library / communications center and a new water resources research complex – within an overall landscape design for the entire university that will create a singular identity and greater physical cohesion.

In keeping with the issue of limited water resources facing this Mediterranean region and the University’s leading research in the topic, the plan also emphasizes the use of water infiltration, water retaining and low water using landscapes to create a sustainably focused campus. The addition of shade trees along the major vehicular and pedestrian routes throughout the campus will lower the energy use of buildings while also creating places of greater comfort outdoors, extending the learning environment outside of the building walls. Focusing on the heart of campus, the plan calls for a new environmental quad full of plant materials that are indicative of the Mediterranean landscape and that will give the campus a specific and defining character, with the rich colors and textures possible in the region adding great visual richness to the campus.