A master plan, whether for educational/institutional campuses, downtown districts, or residential developments, is a plan that shows an overall development concept that includes urban design, landscaping, infrastructure, service provisions, multi-modal mobility circulation, present and future land use, and built forms.
When a close knit team of planners, engineers, and landscape architects collaborate on a master plan, integrated solutions that maximize stakeholder value, enhance the surrounding community, and provide ideal environments for living/working/learning/playing are created.
Communication is key. To develop a plan that is truly great, it has to meet the stakeholder's specific need as well as be feasible in both an economic and sustainable sense. The only way to accomplish this is to spend the time up front to understand the needs, goals, and restrictions inherent to the project.