Teaching requirements have evolved dramatically in the last few years in terms of the spaces required, the teaching and learning methods used and the increasing reliance on technology to provide support. It has become more and more important to provide the flexibility to allow spaces to be changed easily. In our experience, the key is to create enough space to allow teaching staff to walk around group study furniture that can readily be re-arranged; it is highly unlikely that we will return to the ‘chalk and talk’ environment.
The demand for food and drink is also higher than ever; it would be difficult to find a new academic building on any university campus that doesn’t have a coffee shop either inside or within a 2 minute walk. This follows the increasing demand for group working spaces as university courses have changed to focus more on collaboration, with more meetings taking place in a café environment. The demand for USB points appears to mirror the demand for collaborative workspaces.