Photo Caption: Kaiser Permanente’s new School of Medicine is built around flexible spaces and technologies, and features simulation and computer labs, small group learning and collaboration zones, classrooms and learning labs, and this flexibly configurable lecture hall.
As part of the recent Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Pacific 2021 Regional Spring Series, Principal Consultant Tim Waters, CTS, was a panelist on “Mindful Redesign for New and Effective Learning Environments”.
Tim shares three takeaways:
- THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION IS CONTINUING — and will continue. It’s our (SCUP working groups, design teams, etc.) responsibility to plan for, design, and implement appropriate emerging technologies into projects in a way that students, faculty, and staff can adapt to and utilize to improve their educational experience, regardless of where and when they learn, teach, or work.
- RE-THINK EXISTING SPACES. Plan and design to optimize use of space for the “new normal” post-pandemic in ways to reflect innovation, practical human comforts, equity, and health/well-being for campus members, campuses, and the communities in which they reside.
- EXTEND LEARNING EXPERIENCES beyond specific indoor spaces with renewed focus on leveraging outdoor space – especially in climates that enjoy good weather most of the year.
Contributing panelists included Helen Chu (Stanford University), David Gier (University of Michigan), Julie Hendricks and Leesa Beck (University of California Santa Barbara), Royce Smith (Montana State University Bozeman), Heidi Creighton (BuroHappold Engineering), Mia Lehrer (Studio-MLA), Alice Kimm (JFAK Architects), and Jennifer Milliron (LMN Architect).
Connect with Tim to learn more.