.

6 Orientation

• Orientate along east/west axis with primary north and south elevations

• Eliminate solar gain as far as possible. South aspect is easier to control using screens, louvres and
blinds. Also consider ratios of glazed: opaque envelope and translucent insulation

• East and west elevations get low angled sun which can cause problems with glare. This is very
difficult to control using standard louvres.

Consider narrow plan form, use of atria and lightwells, ceiling profile, high ceilings, prismatic glass
and light-shelves.

Ensuring the correct balance of insulation within the façades to minimise winter heat loss and
reduce summer solar gain (south and west)

Water

• Maximise area of roof and landscaping for rainwater collection

• Provide a storage tank within the landscape or basement for rainwater storage.

Pay attention to landscaping and planting inside and out. This can be used to temper the
environment through natural shading, cooling and humidifying. It has been shown that certain plants
improve air quality within a building

An educational building is an expensive long-term resource and the design of its individual spaces
need to be:

• Flexible: to accommodate both current and evolving pedagogies

• Future-proofed: to enable space to be re-allocated and reconfigured

• Bold: to look beyond tried and tested technologies and pedagogies

• Creative: to energise and inspire learners and tutors

• Supportive: to develop the potential of all learners

• Enterprising: to make each space capable of supporting different purposes.

Centralised bookable general teaching rooms typically comprise a range of spaces with varying
capacities, as follows:

• Lecture theatres – large (250); medium (120); small (90)

• Seminar rooms – large (60); medium (30); small (15)

• IT rooms – various capacities used (30+), although increasingly access to IT is via social learning
spaces or libraries

• Tutorial rooms – (5–6).

The design of the space should consider the following:

• Daylight control

• Ventilation, including control by room users

• Registration technology

• Viewing angles / sightlines

• Lighting

• Acoustic performance

• Reconfiguration

• Audio visual facilities and controls

• Signage and booking systems.

Lecture theatres:

Uses

• Single or multiple speaker presentations

• Q&A sessions

• Panel discussions

• Collaborative working formats

• Digital presentations

• Conferences.

Layout/configuration :

• Presentation area – flat or raised platform

• Seating configuration – straight, angled, curved

• Fixed rake or retractable bleacher seating

• Sightlines

• AV requirements – screen size, repeater screens

• Means of escape

• Seat design – tip-up, individual fixed, continuous fixed, with or without arm rests

• Writing surface – fixed tablet arm, folding tablet arm, fixed continuous writing surface

• Lectern design

• Power, data, microphones

• Inclusive design including wheelchair location, hearing induction loop.

Tutorial rooms:

Many universities are removing tutorial space from within academic staff offices and providing
bookable tutorialroomsthat can also be used for staff meetings, interviews, confidential
work/discussion, private study, professional visitors, etc. In some universities, there is a move away
from individual tutorials to small group tutorials (5–6 students).
Individual formal settings:

• Generally quiet environments

• Task lighting

• Power built into furniture

• Within an open setting

• Formal desk arrangements.

These settings can also include ‘pod’ type spaces to provide additional privacy, set within an open
plan area.

Group formal settings:

• Single formal central table

• Screens for presentation

• Integrated data

• Formal seating for 4–8 people.

Libraries:

The following should be considered when developing designs for university libraries:

• Number of volumes on site

• High demand publications

• Special collections

• Categorisation method

• Roller racking (if space is at a premium)

• Accessibility

• Community access

• Line of security

• Types of study space and social learning provision

• Furniture

• Access to online services and other research sources

• Library catering

• Library staff offices and support spaces

• Co-location of recycling facilities with print stations

• AV to group study spaces, monitors with laptop connectivity and write-on surfaces broaden the
experience

• Digital signage for communication with library users

• Access to drinking water

• Distribution of WCs

• Lockers for personal storage

• Automation of book returns.

Student services:

• Student information centre (including reception and waiting area)

• Admissions and funding/finance

• Counselling, advice and guidance

• Careers and employment

• Student/learning support

• Heath services (outsourced), welfare and first aid

• Nursery

• Chaplaincy and multi-faith prayer rooms.

Staff facilities:

• Staff common room (including refreshments)

• Staff meeting and interview rooms

• Storage (archives, records, stationery, equipment)

• Staff print and post room

• Porter’s room

• Computer systems manager’s office

• Technician’s office/workspace/help desk

• Faculty-based staff resource centre

• Faculty-based externally funded research institute space (including reception)

Public facilities:

• Main reception desk area

• Visitors waiting and collection area

• Information and exhibition area (including displays of student output and future events)

• External affairs office (college/school liaison)

• Security control point

• Security control office.

Conference facilities:
• Auditoria (300 seat and 150 seat), consider flexible usage, potential sub-division

• Foyer/break-out/interaction/display space

• Hospitality service room

• Equipment/store room

• Control room

• Green room

• Cloakrooms

• Flexible exhibition space at or near the entrance

• Potential for retractable seating within auditorium spaces

• Furniture storage

• Breakout areas

• Back of house areas for the delivery and temporary installation of goods and equipment, including
lighting and audio equipment.

Catering facilities:

Informal and formal dining:

• Food court – buffet style (including seating, servery, self-service islands and ‘back of house
facilities’)

• Deli bar (including seating, servery, self-service gondolas and ‘back of house’ facilities)

• Coffee bar (including seating, servery, self-service dispensers and ‘back of house facilities’)

• Formal dining area (including seating area and finishing kitchen).

Main kitchen and catering support:

• Prep, cooking and plating areas

• Wash-up area

• Utensils, cutlery and crockery stores

• Dry, cold and deep freeze stores

• Goods reception

• Catering office

• Staff toilets, changing and lockers

• Cleaners’ store

• Bin storage area (external).

Other issues to be considered include:

• Waste and recycling strategy

• Delivery strategy

• Security strategy, especially if the catering facilities are accessible to the public

• Other uses of the dining areas when not serving food, for example for social learning and
collaborative working

• Signage, branding and lighting design

• Wi-Fi coverage and AV provision

• Data points for tills and vending machines.

Retail facilities:

• Bookshop

• University memorabilia/giftware

• Banking (including ATMs)

• News agency/refreshments/stationery (‘one stop shop’)

• Post office (or incorporated in ‘one stop shop’)

• Whole foods store

• Travel agency

• Pharmacy

• Hairdresser.

Sport and recreation:

Indoor facilities:

• Sports hall – 8-court badminton hall with lines for badminton, basketball, volleyball, handball,
netball and tennis, provision for segregating the hall with net partitions

• Fitness suite – comprising cardio-vascular and resistance stations, small reception and dedicated
storage

• Aerobics studio – used for dance, yoga and pilates

• Martial arts room

• Swimming pool – 6-lane 25 m pool and seating area

• Squash courts – with seating area to one/two courts

• Staff office – permanent and part-time staff

• Indoor sports (dry) changing/showers/toilets – separate male/ female, number of private cubicles
and lockers

• Pool (wet) changing/showers/toilets – separate male and female, private cubicles and lockers

• Equipment store – to accommodate sports hall equipment

• Mat store – fire resistant room

• Kitchen – small with storage, work surface and sink

• Treatment room – treatment bench and desk, may double as first aid room

• Store room(s) for sports clubs

• Bar, lounge, catering – optional

• Cleaner’s room – close to sports hall, sink and storage.

Outdoor facilities

Outdoor sport and recreation facilities may include:

• Sports pitches – rugby, football, cricket, hockey

• Sports courts – 5-a-side football, hockey, netball, tennis (AWPs)

• Outdoor sports changing/showers/toilets – separate male/female, including lockers

• External referees’ changing/showers/toilets – separate male/ female, including lockers

• Equipment store – posts, nets, etc. Other considerations

The following should be taken into account:

• Operational and management aspects of the sports facilities

• Community and club use

• Graduation, examination and exhibition use

• Car parking requirements

• Compliance with Sport England/Northern Ireland/Scotland/ Wales competition standards.

Administrative offices:

• University management

• Finance

• Human resources

• Marketing

• Quality assurance

• Business development

• IT systems support

• Registry, admissions and exams

• Student and academic services

• Estates and facilities.

Security:

• Whole site

• Site entry

• Car parks

• Building façades

• Entry for staff, students, visitors and deliveries

• Reception desk

• Access points and circulation within building

• Control room. Waste and recycling

• Paper and packaging

• Glass

• Food and catering

• Manufacturing

• Solvents and oils

• Radioactive.

Catering:

• Status/type

• Franchised areas

• Sittings

• Seating area

• Other uses.

Materials handling:

• Loading bays

• Central stores

• Designated stores

• Handling modes

• Distribution.

Post:

• Post/sorting room

• Delivery arrangements.

Maintenance and cleaning:

• Site

• Building

• Equipment

• Central storage

• Local storage

• Changing/locker/showers

• Offices/labs/workshops.

Archives:

• Policy

• Holding areas

• Materials and methods of storage

• Retrieval.

Communications;

• Telephone

• Data

• IT

• Audio visual.

Deliveries and storage

• Central/local

• Loading/unloading

• Types of storage.

Staff welfare;

• Medical

• First aid

• Crèche

• Fitness.

Parking and commuting;

• Staff

• Students

• Visitors.

Environmental health and safety;

• Low energy

• Natural ventilation

• Minimise pollutants

• Maximise daylight

• Green materials and construction.

Academic staff – 15sq.m

Lecture theatres and lecture rooms Raked or flat with close seating in rows 1.0

Teaching rooms Flat with close seating with writing flaps in rows 1.2.

Teaching rooms Flat with informal seating 1.9

Tutorial rooms 1.8

Flat with tables and chairs 2.3

Library 1.25/FTE.

Professors, including small group space 18.5

Tutorial staff, including small group space 13.5

Non-tutorial staff (e.g., researchers, secretaries) 7.0

Work study space for PGR (range 2.3 to 4.0) 3.4.

Management offices 20

Single offices 9

Other office space 7

Professors and Heads of Schools 20

Academic staff 15

Support staff 8

Non-academic staff 10

Standard computing area 3.5

Office space overall average 6–8

Office space per FTE 10

Offices 7

Laboratories 3.

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