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Designing Libraries for the 21st Century Conference NCSU Libraries, October 2013
Realizing the Vision: Ryerson University Student Learning Centre
Madeleine Lefebvre, Chief Librarian
• Once a polytechnic, now a large comprehensive university
• In the heart of downtown Toronto
• 38,940 undergraduate and graduate students
• over 100 programs
• 440 PhD students
The Context: Ryerson University
Ryerson’s Rapid Growth
The G. Raymond Chang School of ConNnuing EducaNon is Canada’s largest, with more than 65,000 annual registraNons Largest undergraduate School of Management in Canada
1. Commitment to Design Excellence
2. Density: Urban intensificaNon
3. People First: PedestrianizaNon of the urban environment
(www.ryerson.ca/about/masterplan/)
Ryerson Master Plan Projects
• School of Image Arts building becomes Ryerson Image Centre – 2012
• Maple Leaf Gardens becomes MaYamy AthleNc Centre – 2012
• Student Learning Centre
scheduled to open 2015
Before – School of Image Arts
Gould Street – Now Gould Street -‐ Now Now: Ryerson Image Centre
“Immediately a global centre of photographic culture and scholarship” Toronto Star
Before: Maple Leaf Gardens 1930s iconic building famous for ice hockey and rock concerts by The Beatles and Elvis Presley. A senNmental favourite venue of Canadians, le^ empty for many years.
Now: Deco exterior retained Ice arena; basketball courts; athleNc faciliNes; side by side with a huge grocery store
“Brilliant new life for the Gardens” Globe and Mail
Before – Gould Street
Now: A Pedestrian-‐Friendly Gould Street
Before – “Behind Sam the Record Man”
Master Plan: Student Learning Centre
• Create a gateway and window to Ryerson on Yonge Street
• Address the need for much more study space and collaboraNve learning space
Aerial View of the Site
Ryerson Master Plan
The Current Library
• Built in 1974 for 9,000 students
• Brutalist architecture • Good environment for
books, not users • Over 11,000 visits per day
at busiest Nmes • Strong user dissaNsfacNon
reflected in Library as Place LibQUAL+ scores
Context -‐ The Academic Plan: Learning Space
www.ryerson.ca/senate/academicplan.pdf
“Flexible, comfortable, informal space for students is essenNal” “Students… need a place to ‘land’, to work in teams, to read quietly, to mulNtask their academic work and social engagement”
The Library’s Vision
Access to digital resources Collaborative services and learning spaces, barrier free Seminar/teaching space Versatile space Sensory stimulation A place of interaction, inspiration innovation and discovery
The Fourth Floor Incubator: A Flexible Learning Space
The Project Team
ARCHITECTS SnøheYa (Oslo and New York) www.snoheYa.com Zeidler Partnership (Toronto) www.zeidlerpartnership.com PROJECT MANAGER GENIVAR www.genivar.com CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Ellis Don www.ellisdon.com
“Glass vision a dazzler for Yonge and Gould” Toronto Star
Future View from the west side of Yonge Street (SnøheYa)
Design Elements • Total Space: Approximately 155,464 sq ^ (14,443 m2) • Retail at street level and below grade approximately 16,000
sq ^ (1,486 m2) • Incorporates academic support services to promote learning
success
• Formal and informal group & individual study areas • Seminar rooms for instrucNon and bookable study rooms for
student use
Design Elements (conNnued)
• Casual seaNng and a café
• Advanced Technology -‐ the Digital Media Experience and the Digital Media Zone
• Connected to the exisNng Library Building • LEED Silver CerNficaNon with at least 50% green roof
Design themes
The Design: funcNons and connecNon to Library
The Design -‐ Skin
Exterior ramps leading to lobby
Retail frontage on Yonge Street
Level 01 -‐ Valley
The valley and the bridge: a grand staircase to the exisNng Library
Level 01 -‐ Valley
SLC Entry Hall -‐ View to the West from Library Building. Note the external greenery above the stepped seaNng
Level 01 -‐ Valley “Bowl” area (amphitheatre) to the immediate le^ of the SLC entrance will provide casual seaNng to see and be seen Café to right of entrance InformaNon kiosk and triage in central area of entry hall Stairway on the right leads to bridge to the exisNng Library Building on Level 02 Service core with elevators & washrooms at top of plan
Level 02 -‐ Bridge
Steps leading to Library Building and casual seaNng area in foreground. Digital Media Zone & Digital Media Experience visible at top of illustraNon on level 03.
Level 02 -‐ Bridge Casual seaNng on bleachers adjacent to stairs Library staff lounge lower right Bridge to exisNng Library Building on right
Level 03 -‐ Bluff
Digital Media Zone -‐ DMZ
Level 03 -‐ Bluff Digital Media Experience (DME) -‐ workshops & one-‐on-‐one instrucNon in the use of advanced digital technologies Digital Media Zone (DMZ) -‐ centre of innovaNon & technology incubator digitalmediazone.ryerson.ca
DMZ
DME
Level 04 -‐ Garden
Open group study area to le^, and seminar room to right
Level 04 -‐ Garden Student Success (learning support services): WriNng support Math support Access(ibility) Services English Language Support Seminar rooms Staff offices Open study area
Level 05 -‐ Sun
Open study area
Level 05 -‐ Sun Seminar rooms Classrooms Videoconferencing MulN purpose room Open group study areas Group study rooms
Level 06 -‐ Beach
Casual seaNng on the Beach
Level 06 -‐ Beach A series of broad, gently sloping ramps for casual study Ceiling rises to double height on lower le^ Computer workstaNons located opposite elevators, upper right
Level 07 -‐ Forest
Quiet study area
Level 07 -‐ Forest
Graduate Reading Room and graduate discussion rooms top le^ Quiet Study Room lower le^ Group study rooms Open Study areas
Level 08 -‐ Sky
Casual study area with lounge seaNng at perimeter
Level 08 -‐ Sky
Group study rooms Open study areas Ceiling rises to double height on lower le^ Panoramic views of Yonge & Gould Streets
Fostering CollaboraNons
Building not just a building, but relaNonships
A Culture of CollaboraNon
Ongoing collaboraNon between the Library and the Office of Vice-‐Provost, Students represents a blending of talents and will be criNcal to ensuring the seamless delivery of services in the SLC
The Digital Media Zone (DMZ) -‐ a node in the Student Learning Centre
www.digitalmediazone.ryerson.ca www.hitsend.ca
Other CollaboraNons
• RULArch -‐ a collaboraNon between the Library and the Department of Architectural Science
• Showcases the architectural, and historical relevance of various buildings through embedded informaNon and photos
(hYp://news.library.ryerson.ca/datamob/) (hYp://apps.library.ryerson.ca/stclair)
More CollaboraNons… Sociology of Yonge Street class project “We have been studying the history of the neighbourhood around Yonge and Dundas, and Ryerson campus, to consider the social context and cultural importance of the new Student Learning Centre” (hYp://ryersonyonge.wordpress.com/about/)
The Challenges • Small site in built up downtown • By-‐law amendment, re-‐zoning applicaNons process took months
• City required 60% of Yonge Street frontage to be reserved for retail space
• Plans to connect with subway abandoned for now – too costly
The Challenges ConNnued… • Value Engineering process • Security of building and occupants • JurisdicNonal issues; operaNng budget • Furniture and finishes process • Library side demoliNon for bridge • Sam the Record Man Sign agreement
Removal by hand of neon bulbs, now in storage CommemoraNve website created: hYp://news.library.ryerson.ca/musiconyonge/
Technology Challenges
• AV planning versus Technology planning and budget
• Digital Media Zone
Technology
• Study Rooms (Levels 05, 07 & 08 -‐ 61 rooms total)
• All rooms equipped with 46" LCD Panels
• VGA & HDMI connecNons incorporated into work surfaces
Technology: The Valley (entrance) • 2 Wayfinding Kiosks with Jibstream
So^ware • 6 Kiosk-‐Style WorkstaNons (6
computers) – same image as the Library's
computers – requires Ryerson login
Technology: The Valley (conNnued)
• 5 Video Screens above the elevators – Appspace or comparable content
management system – Content to be generated by the
Library/Student Learning Support, University Advancement
• Way Finding Kiosk (2 LCD touch screens)
• Mobile LCD Screen for events, IPTV broadcasts
The Site
ExcavaNon: a Nght space in which to work
Concrete poured for exterior ramps August 6, 2013
The New Meets the Old ConnecNon point for the Student Learning Centre and the Library
The Mock Up The project team is using this mock up to test the frit and its properNes.
The Way Ahead • Ryerson's Student Learning Centre design wins naNonal award of excellence from Canadian Architect magazine: “Centre will give shape, energy, to Toronto’s downtown core”
• SubstanNal CompleNon planned October 2014
• Opening January 2015 (hYp://ryersonbuilds.ryerson.ca/student-‐learning-‐centre/)
Thank You! [email protected]