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Durham Teaching & Learning Centre

Durham Teaching & Learning Centre

A shh of Librarians from Durham University Library have this week been getting a sneak preview of the soon to be opened Teaching and Learning Centre. Just 2 minutes walk from the Bill Bryson Library, the centre will offer a range of spaces including a cafe, a range of group quiet study areas, group study rooms (they’re sound-proof – we checked!), flexible teaching rooms, lecture theatres and (after our tour guide got temporarily disorientated and took us into it), at least one walk-in cupboard!

We’ve included some pictures here so you can see the spaces before they’re teeming with staff and students. Enjoy!

Study spaces

We saw a range of study spaces for group and independent study – the spaces are open for independent and group study, but also offers options for hosting events and conferences at Durham alongside the range of lecture and workshop space.

A sample of the variety of seating and tables

“A great variety of imaginative seating, or even lying-down options” Michael

More high, low and (medium)? height desks and seating, with laptop and charger points and whiteboards.
Small group study booths.
A range of independent study areas and seating with a range of curves…
… corners…
… and wibbly wobbly timey whimey stuff.
You can opt for the one naughty seat in the corner…
.. or you can sit (not in a cupboard) under the stairs.

“I was happy to know the university has now got an area to host a large conference” Fernando

Group study rooms

As well as a range of open-plan learning space, we got to see some of the presentation and group study pods and rooms.

Its a sign. It says group work. Next to a room you can fit a group into.  To do group work. As a group. Or just in silence, ignoring each other. Nobody will know – the rooms seemed pretty sound proof to us.
It remains to be seen how many students you can fit in a group study room. I suspect we’ll know before the end of fresher’s week.

“I think the building is great, a huge step forward for Durham in giving students what they need now.” Natalie

Sound-proof group study pods. Cold, hot and Very Hot taps. Whiteboards.

Lecture theatres and pc labs

We got to see a range of lecture theatres and flexible teaching spaces, alongside the musical tastes of some of the people working to get the centre ready for opening.

One of two large lecture theatres we saw.

“The 500-seat lecture theatre was positively inter-galactic” Michael

One of two large lecture theatres we saw.
Some rooms have flexible tables and seating which you can arrange in exact rows…
… whilst pc labs provide a range of fixed layouts.
Teaching in one of the pc labs? You’ll know which is your pc station because you get 2 monitors and a visualiser.
You wouldn’t want to hide from your lecture presentation –  but you couldn’t even if you tried at these desks
Height adjustable desks can be found all around the building.

Catering space

More eating facilities to join Small Island Coffee which opened earlier in 2019.

More cafe facilities means shorter queues – big thumbs up from thirsty librarians.
And plenty of seating to catch up with friends, colleagues or your latest find from the library shelves.

Atrium

The atrium provides a great place for new staff and students to pause and try to remember where they are going, and how to get there… before giving in to temptation and stopping for a coffee.

Stairs, windows, tables, chairs…. symmetry. Or come opening, a chance to make smiley faces with those curved sofas.
Interesting fact: there are 24 steps in this flight of stairs. One for each complete hour of the day.
We think the flight of stairs on the left is faster.

Library staff, alongside academic colleagues from Durham Business School will be collecting feedback from all users about the different learning spaces and how they are used, and the range of desks and seating available to users. Look out for our new library colleagues Harri and Naomi who’ll be eager to hear what you have to say!

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