michelle rysanek - monash university - case-study: to virtual classrooms and beyond
TRANSCRIPT
The Monash University Holodeck – A State of the Art Learning SpaceMs Michelle Rysanek
Project Manager, Facilities and Services Division - Projects
The Creation of an Innovative Learning Space
The Creation of an Innovative Learning SpaceMoving Monash University Light Years from the traditional classroom
The Creation of an Innovative Learning SpaceThe Star Trek Holodeck – a facility that creates artificial environments for recreational purposes
Client/Project Sponsor – Faculty of Education
Spearheaded by the Monash University Deputy Dean of the Faculty of
Education, Associate Professor, Deborah Corrigan
A faculty that teaches students how to teach to be teachers
An example of progressive teaching practice to demonstrate to students
how to be innovative when teaching
Client Brief
Client Brief
“we would like something like the Star Trek
Holodeck…………………………please”
Reaction to the Client Brief
“What an ingenious bloom of inspiration for a project. A tid bit of
information that would be the vehicle to facilitate the engagement of a
truly creative architect and design team and a unique invention …. and
what fun!!!” Me
“An effective way of getting the idea across … a (fixed) facility that
could transport you to another place.” DS Architects
“The project brief was very descriptive in portraying the client’s visions
for the space, however, it didn’t provide a lot of details on the type of
technology. We were excited for the most part in knowing that the
project is unique and that we will be provided with a challenge that is
ultimately a World first.” CHW AV Consultants
Teasing out the Brief
Teasing out the Brief
1. An Immersive Learning Space
Teasing out the Brief Immersive Learning Space – 3 Dimensions to 4 Dimensions
In modern physics, space and time are unified in a fourth dimension
called space-time.
3D Space + Virtual World Being the Space/Time Fourth Dimension
Teasing out the Brief
Additional parameters:
2. A teaching space for students studying to be teachers … a very
innovative one
3. Confined to one 120 m2 Room (previous IT Lab)
4. Multi-disciplinary – accommodating science, maths and art
(dramatic/dance and visual art). Flexibility was key
5. A budget of approximately $850,000
6. Completion in time for the new university year (2013). Design began
August 2012
The Next BIG Step
The Project Team
ds architects
Architect Selection
1. An enthusiastic and innovative
client needed an architect to match
4. Not fussed with
the challenge of an
obscure client brief
and transforming
this to a solid
project brief
2. Work together well/engaged
3. Open to all sorts of
possibilities
5. Learning space experience
– to found fiction into the
reality of the functionality
Architect Selection
We found that in DS Architects, the Architects and Lead Consultant
An energetic and enthusiastic practice striving to deliver innovative
solutions. But to use a line from the great Charles Dickens “What do you
mean, Phib?" asked Miss Squeers, looking in her own little glass, where,
like most of us, she saw – not herself, but the reflection of some pleasant
image in her own brain.”
Captain Kirkds architects
Architect Selection
Via single select RFP and interview
Inspired and Inspiring
Interested and interesting
Engaged and engaging
Embraced the source of the inspiration
as something to transport their thoughts
beyond convention, and demonstrated
this at the interview, i.e. clearly understood
the intention behind the brief
Relevant project background
Architect Selection
Inspiration drawn from 4D Creative
4D Creative are a UK company specialising in the creation of
immersive experiences, through design and leading technology using
space, projection, light and sound
The spaces 4D Creative transform classrooms into interactive and
immersive experiences that facilitate flexible and experiential
approaches to education
The Engineers
AV Consultant Building Services Engineer
With the right design team on board the transformation begins………
Project Brief Development and Concept
Design
Intensively collaborative briefing sessions with a wider Faculty of
Education audience intended to challenge conventional thinking, initially
unconstrained by practicalities
Followed by practical sessions with core group from Faculty of
Education
Project Brief Development and Concept Design
The brief was developed with the following key requirements identified:
Immersive learning space
Practical space for dancing/movement/performance
General purpose classroom (maths, science, art)
Creating art and creating for other disciplines – maths, science
Collaborative learning spaces
Indoor/outdoor programmes
No front of class
Project Brief and Concept Design Development
– The Breakthrough
Project Brief and Concept Design Development
– The Breakthrough Realising all these uses needed to be accommodated within one space
NOT a series of interconnected spaces. The space needed to be
reconfigurable to suit each use and in the process create “in-between”
uses or a combination of possible uses (like a fourth dimension)
Understanding that in reconfiguring the space came the opportunity to
express the different uses through colours and materials – hence layers
of blue, red and white and the “in-between” spaces would then be a
combination of these materials and colours
Brief and Concept Key Components
The Brief and Concept Design articulated the following notions and
founded the remainder of the design:
Moveable building elements in combination with fixed. Holodecks have
only been created by Hollywood - the solution to this conundrum was
that the place would be remade using sliding and pivoting walls ……
like a movie set
Integrated with state of the art audio visual technology
The purpose being to change both the visual and physical space to
create environments supportive to the diversity of subject matter
Brief and Concept Key Components (cont)
Ease of use for the University and the community
Loose furniture custom designed to support various modes – mobile,
collapsible, individual, combinable, practical and durable
Durable finishes – vinyl floor coverings, glass writing boards, acrylic
tabletops
Accessible:
– For Monash University students and academics
– The community
Brief and Concept Key Components
(cont)
AV Overlay. Key attributes:
Determination of 3 most common uses:
– Primary Use (60%) – Immersive Environment
– Secondary Use (30%) – Collaborative Teaching
– Other use (10%) – Traditional Didactic Teaching
as a basis for the AV design
The Result - Architecture
The Result
The Result - Architecture
The Result - Architecture
The Result - Architecture
The Result - Architecture
The Result - Architecture
The Result - Architecture
The Result
The Result - AV
Immersive and Traditional Didactic Modes
Shelf project mapping software that can link images and video across
12 projectors
12 projectors overlap without any gaps. Overlapping pattern needed to
be accurately captured in the software
Media content driven from 19 networked PCs that are time
synchronised over the network
Collaborative and Didactic Modes
4 LCD Panels with wireless connectivity
Enables facilitators to set-up four student groups that can work
independently and then share information
The Result - AV
The entire system is controlled via Crestron Control System that was
operated via a customised App on a iPad. The iPad allowed users to:
– Change scenery in immersive mode
– Control audio
– Switch and manipulate audio content
– Flexibly operate the system anywhere in the room.
Future proofed for Gesture Control/interactivity by use of kinetic sensors
(cost prohibitive as part of project)
The Result - Services
Key items:
Acoustics – Atkar Acoustic Ceiling Panels and perforated MDF panelled
walls with acoustic fabric backing
Upgraded mechanical system to accommodate added heat loads
Compact fluorescent downlights, rods suspended from the ceiling plus
LED strip lighting to accentuate ceiling architectural details
Thermal detectors and EWIS speakers
Sinks for artwork
Hearing loop
Access control and CCTV
Challenges
Making it innovative without reducing functionality
Making it buildable and affordable
Integrating all the services, audio visual and acoustic requirements into
a visually cohesive design
Making it user friendly
A unique space requiring a new solution with state of the art AV
equipment that did not comply with MU standards, and posed new
challenges for the support team
Use of new to the market equipment. New devices were seen as
‘rogue’ devices by the network and caused the network to block them.
Several months to diagnose and rectify. Required new VLANs and
network policies
Challenges
New to the market technology = Unproven technology. Equipment
vendors were also engaged as part of the commissioning process
Challenges – User Group
Use is limited to one’s imagination which can pose challenges in
coming up with concepts and ideas
Then, taking the ideas and converting to practical classes
No front of class – challenging for academics
Academic reluctance to develop new classes
Professional resources often required for content development has
proven to be a cost obstacle
Projector globes requiring continual replacement
Post Occupancy Experience and Use
AfterBefore
Post Occupancy Experience and Use
Has WOW factor
Asset for Monash University. Well
received and great for marketing
Popular space, heavily utilised mainly
due to flexibility of use. Great outcome considering there was very little precedent
Used in all modes
Indoor/outdoor programmes are popular
The space is effective at generating interplay between the virtual and the real to support
advance pedagogical practice
“Our new learning space provides us with a wonderful opportunity to explore a
multitude of innovative and creative uses, and its capabilities will only be limited by
our imagination.” Associate Professor Corrigan
Post Occupancy Experience and Use
“A Day in the Life of a Paleontologist”
Grand Canyon immersion
Indoor/outdoor programme
Client Brief
???
Has anyone had something equally as quirky,
interesting or challenging?