retains the much-loved intimacy of the library while modernising the facility.
The new façades feature deep, tall windows with angled reveals that introduce a playful abstraction referencing elements of the existing campus architecture.
Flexible Spaces and Inclusive Access Spaces are flexible, enabling students to choose places that suit their current mood and individual learning style, from‘ homago’ spaces( hang out, muck around, geek out) to more traditional study areas. These include zones for collaboration and for quiet study, informal seating, meeting pods and more relaxed beanbag areas.
The common areas are designed to foster collaboration, interaction, learning and community.
The flexible, open plan ground floor serves as the primary common area. Extensive glazing creates a strong indoor-outdoor connection and effectively extends the usable space. A key feature is the terraced outdoor area, which serves as a spill-out area for gatherings or outdoor learning and provides additional places for learning and socialising. The stairways and circulation areas also form common spaces, and one staircase wall has been identified as a gallery space where exhibitions of student artwork can contribute to the building’ s evolving character.
Access to and within the Ubuntu Learning Centre has been carefully planned to optimise flow, functionality and circulation while meeting safety requirements. The building is designed to act as a filter, absorbing and facilitating movement through its various levels and spaces. Existing staircases were adapted as primary routes and fire escapes, enabling large numbers of students and staff to move efficiently through the building, even as it provides spaces for focused work and collaboration.
A new glazed bridge link improves flow between the buildings and enhances wheelchair access. This resolves mobility issues and creates seamless access throughout the space in inclement weather.
The interior design follows a visual thread that expresses all elements of the building’ s architecture. The colour palette and materials were carefully curated to create a calm yet stimulating environment. The overall approach is restrained and functional, with an understated aesthetic devised to endure, avoiding trendy design elements that might date quickly. The colour scheme honours the Bishops corporate identity, with complementary colours adding a playful element to soften the corporate feel.
50 Ubuntu Learning Centre