Open source learning: Future of Higher Education | Albena Atanassova

The increase in online courses has opened opportunities far beyond the geographical confines of an institution, changing the way universities operate. Open source learning investigates new territories for learning environments within the context of a higher education building typology. Situated in Manchester, UK it proposes a new model to accommodate for the effects that a changing learning culture will have on the built environment and the spatial requirements of universities themselves. The proposal suggests a new hybrid building situated in the boundary between the city centre and the university precinct, and the Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Manchester, that would serve as a meeting point for academia, businesses and local community. A new mode of learning is suggested through a combination of flexible social and strictly academic spaces, with an associated flat-otel area for visiting lecturers and student rentals. The scheme responds to principles of sustainable design through incorporating the ideas of John Hawkes behind the four pillars of Sustainability. Thus the design aims to not only incorporate smart technologies in terms of building services, innovation and transferability as well as the resources used, but also aspires to reflect on how users would interact and how their behavior patterns affect the surrounding environment throughout the building’s life.