Plugs, study space, open concept a must for new construction
Students desperately searching for study spaces on campus can rejoice, as the seemingly endless rounds of construction at the University of Ottawa have resulted in something we can all enjoy: the Learning Crossroads building. While not completely finished, the building has recently opened its doors for students, providing more study spaces, and importantly, endless outlets. These features, combined with bright lighting, an open concept, and plenty of modern facilities make it a blueprint for future construction projects on campus.
Our campus has been in desperate need of a makeover for years, with the large majority of the buildings on campus being old, small, inaccessible, dark, and generally outdated. However the Learning Crossroads building is a beacon of light on our otherwise bleak campus, housing two lecture halls, more than a dozen group study rooms, various technologies, and over one thousand study spaces.
The building itself, situated behind Lamoureux Hall, is incredibly modern. It’s well designed with an open-concept layout that is foolproof to navigate, with plenty of large windows, that combined with the right lighting, make it cheery and welcoming to all students.
A central focus of the Learning Crossroads building is new technology which the university hopes will capture students’ interest and enhance learning. The gaming room lets students try new tools such as the Oculus Rift, drones, and the Nintendo Switch, and there is an enormous 8k video screen covering a wall which students can use for data visualization. A multipurpose room houses a piano and a hardwood floor aimed to improve the teaching of music and dance.
Perhaps the most notable technological achievement is the inclusion of outlets in every corner of the building. An abundance of outlets may not seem noteworthy, but the lack of outlets in many buildings at the U of O has been a large issue for students who have wasted valuable study time hunting for an unused outlet across campus. With the new Learning Crossroads building, the days of not being able to use the perfect study spot because it has no outlet nearby and having to bring an extension cord or power bar to campus may be over.
We owe the U of O administration a pat on the back for listening to students’ concerns about modernizing our campus. The Learning Crossroads building is a huge improvement for the university that will greatly enhance learning for students, and hopefully this building will serve as a bases for future construction projects on our campus.
