Earlier this week I got word through Blog Squad that there was going to be a tour of the not-yet-opened phase two of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and they were looking for some students to walk through and give feedback. Upon hearing of this I excitedly replied and got a spot on the tour. That tour was this morning.
First off, I want to say that I flat-out love phase one of the IKBLC. I know that I often mention the glorious Ridington Room as it has become my own little nook on campus where I feel truly dedicated to my studies. I think that will always be my favorite room, but after seeing what phase two will hold, I can’t be positive! The space is so open and expansive, with several different vast free study spaces that each had a variety of seating, from big comfy couchy benches to elegant tall chairs. There are also countless classrooms, varying in size, from a large theatre to a small office, all with flexible seating and tables.
As we walked through the expansive new wing, not yet finished, but obviously not far from completion, I felt as though I was walking through a building that was made for me. Granted it will soon be the new home for Arts One (as well as Science One, and the Coordinated Arts Program) so it will be a place that I will be spending a lot of time, but that’s not the only reason. I feel like the student body will own this place, the hallways wrap around in almost mazes, offering endless opportunities to plop down and study. All the classrooms will be left unlocked, so they can be used as forums for clubs or just casual study spaces. There will be a booking system put in place so you can just walk in and claim a small office or do so ahead of time through the Centre. There are so many windows and sky lights and places where you can just hang out. There will be a cafe! Offering food through the opening hours of the centre, which should be something like 7am-11pm.
I think my favorite part of the tour was when we got to enter the (still being renovated) Chapman Learning Commons that is not scheduled to open until April. Being a first year student, I had never been in the famous room, with its high ceilings and almost-cathedral feel, but I was very familiar with it from the countless photos I had seen of it in promotional material. I can honestly say that it is as beautiful as those photos make it seem. I was a little disheartened at the beginning of the year when I found out they were renovating it, but we were assured today that they are returning it to it’s original beauty, just updating it to keep up with seismic regulations. I simply CANNOT WAIT until this place fully opens.
All in all, I loved the tour, but what I found the most refreshing part of the whole experience was the feedback session we had following it. In it we had several very important people like the Interim Director of the Learning Centre, Jan Wallace, and Kelly Simmons, the Manager of Classroom Services, among others, sit down and as for our opinions of the Centre. Not only were these people kind enough to guide us through the wing (which hasn’t even opened yet) but they really just wanted to know what we thought of the whole building. They jotted down notes of everything we said and gave me a real feeling of being supported here at UBC.
Their call for feedback does not stop at those who are given a tour. More than anything they want to know what you, the average student, has to think. If you think the pattern of the carpet is too distracting, the want to know, if you don’t like the lighting in one room, or you find the chalkboards too far away to read, they want to know. Seriously, they want to make this space something every student will use and enjoy, and the only way they can approach that goal is to hear from you. To make all of this feedback possible, they even made a Facebook group, you can find it here. (Also, check out the awesome pictures the Kevin from Student Development took on our tour!)
So go, join the group, reply to some of the discussion topics and LOOK FORWARD to February 25th, when phase two FINALLY opens its doors. I can assure you, you are going to love this building.