Vertical Studio 2016: University Library

By Oliwia Jackowska

Vertical studio is an amazing opportunity for students with different level of experience to combine their ideas and work together. This year’s brief, provided by the University Librarian Kate Robinson, was to reimagine our University Library so that it responds to needs we think are not properly thought of in the current design. We can hope that the designs will be actually at least partially realised, and that the Librarians wanted to see what’s in students’ minds and make the most of their creative ideas.

The jury was positively surprised and impressed as all 12 groups provided them with amazing and thoughtful ideas after only 3 days of cooperation! Every group considered different aspects that are to be changed, and as a result, produced amazing drawings, renders and designs.

The Librarians rewarded projects that addressed most significant problems posed by the Library at the moment, such as study places, efficiency of used spaces as well as the users’ comfort. They were seeking for the understanding of issues like making quality information available, providing skills training in using information sources as well as delivering a study environment useful for quiet concentration or collective working.

The initiatives like Vertical Studio provide valuable experience for students, result in great projects and everyone can admit that it is just fun!