Leeds University Business School wanted to create a space to promote active and experiential learning that was more student-centred. The new learning suite would need to accommodate 100 students at a time and be fitted out with furniture that would encourage team-based learning.
As part of a new flagship development, the project team at the Urban Sciences Building (USB) were tasked with creating flexible teaching spaces that could be used for ICT and non-ICT related tasks. The space would need to accommodate up to 312 students over three large rooms and also be Equality Act Compliant.
The University had a clear idea of what needed to be achieved. He required a different style of learning space to traditional classrooms, and wanted to introduce collaborative style tables to encourage group and Active Learning. TOP-TEC were tasked with maximising the use out of the area to provide space for as many students as possible, whilst still maintaining an effective collaborative working environment.
As part of a £9 million refurbishment project, the University of Hull renovated an unused external terrace space into a walkway between Middleton Hall and the Larkin Building. Working with Westray Keith Phelps Architects, TOP-TEC were required to create an inspirational space that would appeal to students and provide them with and agile space to work and collaborate. The furniture solutions would need to adhere to the architect’s predetermined colour scheme, maximise the use out of the narrow corridor area and accommodate obstructing pillars through the new learning space.
Kramer’s training room was designed as a “Collaborative Classroom” with the purpose of training systems integrators and key end users in the use of Kramer’s Multi-Award winning Collaboration products, and systems through modern group focused teaching methods.
The University of Northampton had recently completed its purpose built campus and needed to create spaces that fit the expectations of their modern students utilising technology and employing modern teaching methods designed to keep students engaged. The University had a number of different requirements including brackets that could fit a range of screens, a way to utilise screens and deliver lessons in open plan areas and a secure and tamper proof housing for hardware that would drive their state of the art wayfinding system.
Having secured funds to develop a brand-new learning space, National Louis University required collaborative solutions for a fit-for-purpose ‘Computer Science & Information Systems (CSIS) Learning Lab’ for up to 32 students. Their main objective was to introduce Active Leaning methods to the university to encourage collaboration and enhance student engagement.
OP-TEC developed a range of technical furniture solutions for a series of learning and IT labs in the newly refurbished Drysdale Building at City, University of London. The overall objective was to update and enhance the University’s IT facilities and increase the number of open access PC workstations available for 300 students. TOP-TEC developed a range of custom desking solutions specific to the University’s requirements, that offered students complete flexibility and maximised the use of space throughout the building.
The vision for QMUL was to maximise the use of furniture and technology to deliver a state of the art laboratory experience that was focused on collaboration, communications, connectivity and real-time data collection for individuals, group and class active learning.
TOP-TEC collaborated with HLM Architects on creating a flexible, multi-use teaching space that will be configurable to address changing teaching patterns in the years ahead.
Keen to move away from the traditional pedagogies used in standard lecture theatres, Newcastle University wanted to develop an innovative learning space that encouraged collaborative activities for students in small groups to work on a variety of tasks including, problem solving and preparation of presentations, all of which could be facilitated by ICT.
TOP-TEC recently collaborated with EEF, the manufacturer’s organisation on the development of its second training site- the Technology Hub. The Hub is part of the £5 million investment into the centre, aims to increase the number of apprentices it trains from 250 to over 400 a year.
