Section E
Comfort
7 Acoustics
Sound in spaces is experienced as engaging or disturbing depending on the use of the space, and people vary on their appetite for audio stimulus or containment. A range of provision is required to support concentration, from silent to quieter spaces. For many students, too much sound reduction impedes concentration and a sense of belonging.
The wide range of activities and bustle across an educational landscape, including teaching, study and social spaces, should be balanced through the development of calm and peaceful environments. Academic life is layered with stresses, and the landscape should be proactive in reducing it. At the campus level, external noise can be mitigated through vertical planting, planted screening, or large stands of trees and shrubs. Large areas of soft landscaping also support natural habitats, and the introduction of natural sounds into our environment reduces stress while improving concentration and wellbeing.
In the Teaching and Learning Building by Make Architects, spaces for focused group tasks are visually connected to adjacent spaces. Photo © Martine Hamilton Knight.
The Teaching and Learning Building has spaces that can accommodate a variety of activities. Make Architects used acoustic modeling during the design process to create the right conditions for speech intelligibility. Photo © Martine Hamilton Knight.
Suggested prompts
Are quiet study spaces disturbed by sound/is too much activity audible when users are trying to concentrate?
Are communal spaces too quiet?
Is speech clearly intelligible from all presenters and in all parts of the teaching spaces?
Is the provision for servicing in mixed-use spaces optimal, avoiding disruptive noise from services like an AC plant or the movement of catering trolleys?
8 Light
Natural light can promote people’s health, mood and ability to carry out tasks. It also affects learning, performance, concentration, health and wellbeing. Natural light is crucial for the proper function of the body’s natural clock (circadian rhythm) and is equally important for learning performance.
People moving through spaces, both internal and external, intuitively gravitate towards natural light, finding places to pause, sit and enjoy the health benefits of the sun/natural light. Views of open sky in circulation routes, streets and squares are important for the light reflection they provide, and the relief they provide from the built environment at ground level.
Using daylight analyses to inform a building or landscape layout is important to maximise utilisation. The seasonality of landscapes can also be harnessed for passive building strategies to mediate excessive natural light and unwanted solar gain in summer, and to promote daylight ingress during winter months.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) often occurs during the winter months due to the lack of daylight. This disorder can cause depression, lack of concentration and fatigue.
It has been proven that exposure to daylight is beneficial for human concentration, behaviour and wellbeing. The view from a space can influence people’s concentration and ability to reduce stress.
The top-lit atrium at the heart of the Teaching and Learning Building, designed by Make Architects, creates a legible and navigable place for users. © Martine Hamilton Knight.
The character of the dining hall in The Barn at the University of Nottingham's Sutton Bonington Campus, designed by Make Architects, is animated by the ever-changing sunlight streaming in.
Diagram adapted from Space and learning: lessons in architecture 3 by Herman Hertzberger.
Suggested prompts
Does the space have good-quality natural light without being compromised by glare (making it difficult to see computer displays) or solar gain causing spaces to overheat?
How does natural light enter the space? Daylight entering the space from above creates positive associations with outside spaces, creating an 'outdoor' atmosphere.
Are there daylight-filled spaces that will attract people and encourage them to socialise?
A large part of the academic year takes place during the winter months. Do the spaces’ materials/surfaces reflect light to optimise available natural light?
Have the circulation routes and deeper spaces of the building been designed to caputure daylight and external aspects?
Do trees and planting passively shade internal spaces in summer, while allowing natural light to permeate internal spaces in winter?
9 Air
Natural ventilation and user control are key to ensuring buildings are enjoyed and well used. There are recognisable environmental benefits of designing adaptable university buildings.
Our internal and external environments need to adapt in response to the climate crisis while continuing to support a diverse range of activities. Providing thermal comfort will become more challenging with increasing frequency of extreme events. But if properly considered at design stage, provision can balance the needs of light/shade and heating/cooling effectively. The solutions can be identified at the wider campus level, as well as in the immediate user environment. Strategies for water management, biodiversity and energy can be layered into the landscape, enriching its narrative and character while supporting climate resilience. Depending on the time of year, spaces should provide both sunny and shaded areas.
