With their vast collections of buildings, it’s no wonder that universities are architectural gems. And though many are impressive, only some can be considered the most beautiful college campuses in the United States. Many schools have stunning elements—like immaculate dining halls, otherworldly dorms, or jaw-dropping libraries—but the schools on the following list stun across the board. Like a well-styled outfit, from the entry arches to academic halls and manicured lawns, everything on these grounds works in harmony to create a place as striking as it is educational. To that end, AD recently scoured the country to find the prettiest college campuses in the United States, taking into consideration both architectural legacy and setting.
What is the history of collegiate architecture?
When picturing the storied campuses of some of the world’s most renowned universities, you may imagine the classic pointed arches, intricate stonework, and towering spires that have come to characterize much of collegiate architecture. You’d be right to imagine this: called Collegiate Gothic, many universities have adopted this specific look since it was first imported to American campuses in the late 19th century. The style drew inspiration from the Gothic Revival movement in England more broadly, while institutions like Oxford and Cambridge provided a specific aesthetic blueprint.
The architectural firm Cope & Stewardson, known for its work at Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Bryn Mawr College, was especially influential in bringing this style to the American campuses. Their designs merged Gothic detailing with modern construction techniques, resulting in buildings that felt both timeless and contemporary for their era.
Why are so many colleges designed in the same architectural style?
More than a purely aesthetic choice, collegiate Gothic was a symbolic choice: a reflection of the intellectual rigor and moral seriousness that universities sought to instill in their students. Basing the architecture on historic universities like Oxford and Cambridge resulted in schools that felt prestigious, serious, and rich in tradition. After all, these universities sought to beacons of knowledge and heritage, and the style quickly became synonymous with academic excellence.
But architectural styles never remain static, and that could not be more true for some of the most beautiful campus architecture. By the mid-20th century, new design approaches emerged, reflecting shifts in educational philosophy, technological advancement, and social change. The rise of modernist architecture brought clean lines and an emphasis on functionality. Schools like MIT and Carnegie Mellon embraced this, with some buildings on campus possessing easy-to-spot modernist characteristics like glass facades and geometric forms. Brutalist structures also became increasingly popular—UCSD’s Geisel Library by William Pereira being a prime example.
What architectural style are colleges being designed in now?
In more recent years, collegiate architecture has returned to its roots. “With postmodernism as a seed, an interest in traditional architecture reemerged in the late ’70s and early ’80s which has resulted in a course correction of sorts in the built environment,” says John Kirk, a partner at the architecture firm Cooper Robertson (who has also designed buildings for college campuses all around the world). Alongside traditional architecture cropping back up on today’s campuses, colleges are also growing increasingly mindful of environmental impact, and new technology has further enabled a wave of sustainable architecture on school campuses.