The University’s main teaching building is architecturally well-designed and very functional. However, it has never been the type of place that staff or students would willingly spend their discretionary, or non-class time. Many of the non-teaching areas are transition spaces only – places where one moves quickly through to be somewhere else. One of these spaces was a large, cavernous area known as “the Street”. In fact, it was such a stark and bare place that parts of a science fiction movie were once filmed there.
As a direct result of my attendance at the first UQ Colloquium, an idea was formed to furnish the street with comfortable couches, ottomans, tables, power points and wireless access. The effect has been to transform the area into a place where students will congregate to work, relax, and interact. Importantly, life has been injected into a once barren and sterile environment. While it has only been established for a short period of time, anecdotal evidence from the students suggests that enjoy using the space. At peak times, the area is so well used that there is no more space available. A subsequent project is in preparation. Its aim is to extend this area as well as to provide café facilities.
The pedagogical intent was to provide an informal learning area, where students could study individually, participate in student group meetings, and have post-class discussions with lecturers and fellow students. We intend to survey the students on the use of the space, its benefits and areas of improvement, at the end of this year.