The Drysdale Ground floor is one of the most heavily utlised spaces on the City, University of London campus.
With over 200 open access student PC spaces and five PC teaching labs the floor has been completely remodeled, refreshed and updated to meet the needs of our students, and provide new, flexible learning spaces.
The need to re-design this floor is evident from the before photographs below:
BEFORE:
Building on the new Main Entrance project, which really pulled together City’s linked, but sometimes disparate feeling buildings, the project aimed to open up access to the space, and create new access to our Drysdale garden. Some of the main aims of the project were to increase and improve open access PC provision and create larger, flexible PC spaces while using the overall space more efficiently and bringing in natural daylight throughout.
The project was led by the University’s Property and Facilities (PAF) Department with the overall design was a collaboration between PAF, City Students’ Union. IT, LEaD and School representatives, all working with City’s chosen Architects.
A mezzanine floor was added, to increase space and add much needed additional PC access, while also providing different levels and informal study environments for students.
AFTER: Open Access PC Spaces
Building on the success of previous flexible spaces, and the DALI project (Designing Active Learning Initiative) the Learning Spaces were designed to increase flexibility for learning with circular, banked and group work layouts, foldaway PCs and new Educational Technology provision.
As with all our flexible spaces, increasing engagement between academic and student, and also between students themselves is at the core of the design.
Large whiteboards have been added where possible as this was identified as a key teaching requirement through LEaD’s interactions and surveys of Academic community.
Flexible PC provision allows a variety of different teaching activities to take place.
AFTER: Learning Spaces
Opened for teaching in late October staff and students now have five new bright, light PC labs with new equipment.
Drysdale Ground Video:
The two larger, 50 seat flexible PC Labs have lecture capture capability.
In passing, one student described the new space as their “favourite place to study”….
The project has been well received by members of City, University of Londons staff and student community.
Let us know what you think of the transformation!
