UCLan Social Spaces – Evaluative Research Study
The design, development and provision of two new Social Space facilities – opened in January 2018 – forms a major project within the University of Central Lancashire's Campus Masterplan. These are intended to create bright, spacious, comfortable and adaptable areas in which students, staff and visitors can learn, work, socialise, relax and hold events and meetings.
This research project focuses on these new social spaces alongside older, more established social spaces across the University of Central Lancashire campus, with the following aims and objectives:
Aims:
- To examine what has ‘worked’ in relation to the design and use of UCLan social spaces.
- To assess the extent to which are fulfilling their intended goal of providing environments for staff students and visitors to work, socialise and relax.
- To identify wider benefits for students and staff.
- To generate learning to inform future developments.
Objectives:
- To explore how students and staff use UCLan social spaces.
- To examine student and staff perspectives on and experiences of UCLan social spaces – with a particular focus on health, wellbeing, community and sustainability.
- To identify what students and staff like and dislike about UCLan social spaces and what they perceive their benefits to be.
- To assess the impact of social space development on the use of other UCLan facilities.