University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Phase II: Learning Landscape

Learning Space Concepts

Faculty Hub

The “Faculty Hub” is a scalable, social/collaborative center for faculty that supports interdisciplinary collaborative research and scholarship while also providing a place to work with as they move between campuses. A variety of individual workspaces and meeting spaces enables concentrative and collaborative work, and conference rooms are equipped for visualization and large scale distributed meetings with remote collaborators.

Media Hub

“Distributed Media Centers” are digital resource-rich environments located in academic neighborhoods and focused on supporting student work. Space and technology encourage the integration of digital media in learning. A variety of space types and media facilitate a range of learning activities and work styles.

Teaching Hub

The “Teaching Hub” is a collaborative environment located in academic neighborhoods and focused on faculty teaching methods. Spaces and technology support the integration of academic technologies in teaching, and provide opportunities for faculty and technology expert advising. Experimental teaching spaces allow the testing and implementation of new methods in ‘trial’ classes.

Tech Support Hub

“Tech Support Centers” are high touch services points for students and faculty and their devices. Technology support focus is on enabling the individual learner and exposure to technological innovation. Centers are located in highly accessible areas of the campus, convenient for the entire UB community.

Distributed Study Hub

“Distributed Study Centers” are study environments for individual and collaborative work that provide a variety of spaces to accommodate a range of learning activities and group sizes. The Study Centers provide an complementary setting to UB library spaces, distributed across campuses and conveniently located in academic neighborhoods to serve the expanded populations in UB2020.

Transforming the Spine into a Learning Corridor

• Linear Café: A set of various tables and seats at the edge of a corridor that create an active “street.” Food service is an important factor for creating “Buzz.”
• Cul-De-Sac: A hub of informal learning activity outfitted with flexible furnishings and collaborative technology to support group meetings and informal exchanges.
• Open Theater: A demonstration space outfitted with a theater set for students or faculty to easily display data, make presentations, or screen movies.
• Study Nook: Small, informal study spaces along major circulation routes, outfitted with lounge seating for relaxation, or plasma screens and work tables for small working groups.
• Study Booths: Small, glass-enclosed spaces for concentrative individual work and group study activities that require more acoustic separation work settings.
• Front Porch: An informal space fronting a formal learning space. Joined by an operable “garage door,” learning discourse can extend from the formal to the informal and visible active space.