Campus Development 09/2015 EXPLORING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SPACE AND LEARNING Naja Nielsen is studying geophysics and space technology in the fourth semester. She is also chair of the academic council in Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association), where she is involved in the social affairs committee and the academic committee. In April 2015, she participated in the learning workshop Performing university spaces: how universities create moods/atmosphere/cultures on developing learning spaces at DTU. ‘Numerous changes are taking place at DTU at the moment, and the workshop gave me a fresh insight into campus developments,’ says Naja Nielsen, adding: ‘It became clearer to me how many elements have to be taken into account when developing learning and study environments.’ Lecturers and students do not necessarily share the same wishes, but everyone at the workshop was very constructive and keen to see opportunities rather than obstacles. It’s impossible to please everyone, but you can still do a lot to create study environments with widespread appeal. It’s the basic framework that makes the difference.’ Naja Nielsen generally finds that DTU goes out of its way to involve students in the new building projects: ‘The University draws a lot on its close collaboration with students. DTU often contacts the board of Polyteknisk Forening (PF student association) to ask the various committees whether any of the students would like to be involved in the development activities. And usually some of us say yes,’ she says. In the new buildings at DTU and in the old buildings which have been renovated, Naja Nielsen finds that the rooms are generally less well-defined: ‘There are glass walls instead of ordinary walls, and they are furnished with tables and chairs which we can use as we please. Also, a wide spectrum of colours have been used. You can get a bit distracted by the colours—on the other hand they inject a bit of life into the rooms. I think the changes are having a big impact on how the rooms are used.’ In many places at DTU, trees can now be found inside the buildings. According Naja Nielsen, it often takes a long time before the students even realize the trees are there, which she thinks is positive: ‘The trees break up the rooms and connect the various levels, but you don’t necessarily notice them. It shows that they are not obstacles in the building, but are simply appreciated.’ The four workshop themes were: #1: Students, study cultures and academic invitations. #2: What do we know about what is being built? New typologies for learning spaces. #3: Interactions between learning spaces, technologies and learning: How we can evaluate these interactions with a view to developing learning space designs. #4: Performing university spaces: How universities create moods/atmosphere/ cultures. By Signe Kirkegaard Cain, journalist “Employing a systematic approach and prolific innovation at all levels, DTU has a complete grip on its learning environments. Innovative, dialogue-based classrooms and reading rooms have successfully been created which promote group work and plenary discussion. In addition, varied and inviting informal environments are being created, with an emphasis on distinctive and tasteful design.” Jonas Nordquist, Director, Medical Case Centre, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm Transforming DTU 33
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