Learning and Teaching Strategy update 2008
Name of Service:
Estates and Buildings (E&B)
Contact name and email address:
Title of case study:
Jim McConnell
(J.McConnell@admin.gla.ac.uk)
Redevelopment of Adam Smith Lecture Theatre (Room T415)
Keywords: learning spaces, pedagogic flexibility, self-directed learning, sustainability
Description
The redevelopment of this lecture theatre was deliberately ambitious, seeking: to implement the lessons learned and pertinent matters arising from the ongoing
Learning Spaces Working Group (established in 2007)
 to provide an exemplar of what can be achieved within high utilisation Central Room
Bookings’ (CRB) large teaching spaces while also acting as a test bed for
pedagogical options.
Working with CRB and Faculty of Law, Business and Social Sciences (LBSS: the key users
of the space), E&B planned this project to push the boundary of expectations, aiming to
achieve a space that was more technology enriched, pedagogically flexible, and with higher
standards of comfort and sustainability.
Technology enriched: AV installation is to the highest standard. Twin data projection and
visualisers, interfacing with the student desking, allow students to present information back to
the group via data projection and with wireless networking capacity throughout the space.
There is full touch panel control of lighting and window blinds.
Flexible: The seating to the lower level of the lecture theatre, 68 seats, allows for group
working in groups from 4 to 8. The group working is enabled by the use of specially
designed ‘twin seats’ developed by Italian auditorium seating specialists Deco and the
University’s Estates Development Manager especially for this project. The potential for group
working enhances the opportunities for self directed learning and for students to internalise
the subject matter, enhancing understanding. In addition, the capacity of the space was
increased from 192 to 207, breaking through the 200 person threshold (important for CRB
flexibility).
Comfort and Sustainability: A key reason for choosing this space to refurbish was the
quantity of negative feedback received from users regarding the shortcomings within the
mechanical services installation. The mechanical and electrical installations in the space aim
to satisfy the university’s sustainability brief and are at the leading edge of design, utilising
mechanically recovered heat from the space to reduce heating input, and discreetly
delivering, via air displacement, the required volume of heating/cooling based on the number
of students detected (by CO2 monitoring) as present within the space. The impact of these
measures is that the environment should be comfortable for the widest number of room
users, while meeting the university’s corporate social responsibility criteria and energy saving
requirements.
Conclusion
The project was completed in mid September 2008 for use at the start of teaching on 22nd
September, therefore no formal post-occupancy evaluation process has yet taken place.
However it is apparent from discussion with users, feedback through LBSS staff, the user
representatives on the project and CRB that the changes and innovations have been warmly
received by the academic and student community. Room booking (a component of
utilisation, along with occupancy versus capacity) is up 13% on the previous semester to
96.3%.
The next major space for refurbishment will be developed in a similar format,
applying the lessons learned and seeking to improve upon the outcomes of this project.
Before this investment is made, E&B will obtain more formal feedback from the academic
and student community on the benefits or otherwise of this project.