The Oculus provides the University of Warwick with a new flagship teaching and learning building – the first on the campus to be dedicated purely to teaching with bookable spaces available to all academic departments.
The development was borne out of research by the University which found that multi-faculty buildings would enable greater knowledge sharing and socialising between students from across the full range of academic subjects – enhancing their overall experience and promoting a forward thinking educational pedagogy gaining momentum within the academic sphere.
From start to finish, The Oculus project has been a showcase of innovative practice. It translated the University’s design aspirations into an iconic, landmark building which is instantly recognisable; it involved all stakeholders from briefing stage workshops through to construction site tours to achieve universal support; it harnesses the latest in audio-visual technology to enhance the student experience; and it adopted collaborative two-stage procurement with fair payment and risk sharing.
The University’s Executive Office Vice President, Lawrence Young, described The Oculus as a ‘real signature project, setting the scene for the next 50 years’.
