WindsorPatania designs the ‘future of education’ at Extended Reality Lab

Architects WindsorPatania looked to the future of education for its latest project, Extended Reality Lab (XR Lab) for Eastern Colleges Group. Students at West Suffolk College (UK) have started to explore the facilities, comprising four distinct areas: an Immersion Lab, Collaboration Theatre, Green Room, and Conference Room.

XR Lab’s facilities prioritise flexibility and adaptability, designed in response to ever-evolving technology developments and educational needs. The pioneering education environment integrates AI powered technology such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality to offer a next generation teaching and learning experience.

The XR Lab finds its home in one of the five hangars that make up the college’s STEM complex. A retrofit of an existing structure formerly used as a workshop by the students of engineering, the building was tired and outdated, with a large entrance blocked by a roller shutter, which was removed and replaced with a curtain wall to enhance the ingress of natural light into the hangar. To ensure energy saving and to minimise the deployment of construction material, a pod-shaped design was chosen over utilising the entire hangar space – offering the ability to contain thermal insulation solely to the size of the pod, making it the primary thermal envelope and avoiding the need to thermally insulate the entire space. Sustainable architectural lighting by PHOS was also integrated as part of the low-energy design.

The exterior is finished with a high-spec, sustainable luxury polished plaster by Armourcoat that complements the future-facing tech inside. “The architecture embodies the function of the building,” comments WindsorPatania’s Giovanni Patania, “creating a connection with virtual environments while inspiring the next generation of students.”

The area surrounding the XR Lab is a versatile space that serves as a dynamic hub for students, functioning as an exhibitions gallery, but it also provides ample space for social interactions and serves as a breakout area and events space for students. The glass walls and open doors of the pod provide a window into the activities occurring inside, promoting social interaction and collaboration opportunities. “XR Lab is a catalyst for ground-breaking ideas, a place to bring students and industry together to explore new ways of working, teaching and learning” comments Richard Stevenson, Group Director of Operations at Eastern Colleges Group.