What comes to mind when you think of common areas in a college or university?
Most likely the thoughts of a university lounge conjures images of students enjoying some down time from studies, maybe checking their phones or grabbing a snack?
The importance of common areas in today's universities are often overlooked. State of the art classrooms, practical residence halls, well-equipped libraries and sufficient dining areas are typically top of mind when designing college and university spaces. But what about that student lounge?
Ponder this... the common spaces and lounges are often the first impression of prospective students, their parents, new faculty and visitors to the campus. What type of impact should that first impression have? What would a great first impression mean to the enrollment and retention of new students and faculty to the school? If the furnishings and decor are outdated, stained and otherwise non-functional, what does that say about the rest of the campus or, for that matter, the quality of education provided at the school?
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| Gannon University - KI MyWay and Sway |
Even more importantly, the idea of creating multi-purpose areas that encourage collaboration, study and a sense of community is paramount to student satisfaction and success. Although the "privacy" of a dorm room or quiet of the library may sometimes be necessary, the idea of having a beautiful and comfortable area to engage with others certainly fits with modern learning paradigms. Learning environments are moving, somewhat, out of the traditional classroom and into non-traditional spaces. University lounge and common space design should reflect these changes.
Cornell University Center for Teaching Excellence research shows that "educational experiences that are active, social, contextual, engaging, and student-owned lead to deeper learning. The benefits of collaborative learning include:
- Development of higher-level thinking, oral communication, self-management, and leadership skills.
- Promotion of student-faculty interaction.
- Increase in student retention, self-esteem, and responsibility.
- Exposure to and an increase in understanding of diverse perspectives.
- Preparation for real life social and employment situations."
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| Gannon University - Comfortable, Collaborative Common Area |
The new student lounge at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania is a great example of how a multi-purpose space can be conducive to learning while providing a great first impression to visitors of the campus. The furniture is a mixture of the MyWay and Sway lines from KI Furniture in Green Bay, Wisconsin. KI specializes in education furniture for common areas, residence halls, libraries, classrooms and more. KI has been named the number one preferred furniture supplier for educational solutions, according to Contract magazine, twelve years in a row.
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| Gannon University - KI MyWay Multi-Purpose Configuration of Common Space |
Of course, downtime is also important so this space was designed with a multi-purpose direction in mind. Not only are there study spaces, both private and collaborative, but there are gaming tables, vending machines and even a fireplace. Students can take a break and unwind or grab a quick snack to fuel their creativity, learning and socialization. What student (or faculty member) wouldn't want to sit and spend some time in this space?
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| Gannon University - KI MyWay with Tablet Arms Offer Non-Traditional Learning Environment |
If you find yourself in a college or university, take a look around. What is your first impression? What opportunities do you notice for students to interact with each other, faculty and visitors to the school? What does the space say about the quality of the school and the education received there?
Careful consideration should be taken when planning these spaces for the success and satisfaction of students, faculty, parents and visitors to your college or university.
