{"id":39647,"date":"2024-04-24T09:04:32","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T13:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/edu\/?p=39647"},"modified":"2024-10-29T12:49:26","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T16:49:26","slug":"faculty-of-education-building-renovations-look-to-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/edu\/2024\/04\/24\/faculty-of-education-building-renovations-look-to-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Faculty of Education building renovations look to future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Faculty of Education Winters College<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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As York University\u2019s Faculty of Education moves into its second half century of teaching and research, it has finished building renovations designed to meet the needs of students, staff and faculty for today and the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The renovations \u2013 which have included making the building more accessible, efficient and welcoming \u2013 accentuate the Faculty\u2019s points of pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a modernized look to a building that opened in the 1960s,\u201d said Dean Robert Savage<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019ve added glass to the corridors so light pours in, and they become cathedral-like, a metaphor for the illumination provided by education, shining light on our values and our scholarship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe renovations show confidence in ourselves as a leading education faculty with a strong research reputation. We\u2019re doing a lot of impactful work on social issues and encouraging people to challenge the status quo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, the Faculty of Education honoured its milestones through the years, such as establishing the Jean Augustine Chair and the W\u00fcl\u00e9elham Indigenous-focused programs. With the renovations completed, it looks toward the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe renovations are an extremely good use of our resources,\u201d said Savage. \u201cAfter COVID, it is so valuable to have physical space that welcomes our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Dean Robert Savage<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The renovations are the result of a lot of thought and planning. \u201cTo ensure it was done correctly, the process started with a space needs analysis in 2018,\u201d says Andrea Torre<\/strong>, executive officer for the Faculty, who managed the project. \u201cOur process was heavily data informed, thoughtful and deliberate. We wanted to provide a supportive and accessible environment for student activities and to also create a cohesive and supportive environment to boost collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analysis identified a number of challenges including impractical traffic flow and the fact that people who work together were spread across different floors, making in-person conversations more difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Faculty worked with Design Partners in Architecture and Interiors (DPAI) to ensure the recommended improvements could be translated into workable changes to the building. The final plans were dictated by the Faculty\u2019s functional requirements, said Patty Clydesdale<\/strong>, DPAI principal and the project manager, who engaged with as many user groups as possible to determine their needs and wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wanted to address needs first,\u201d Clydesdale said. \u201cThe project\u2019s values and priorities were just as important. The keys were making the building welcoming for students, increasing the Faculty\u2019s visibility in a shared building and providing natural light and views to staff. We also wanted better lighting and acoustics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is a more student-friendly space. The undergraduate student services have all been consolidated in one area. The teaching assistants have dedicated office and meeting space, and there is a dedicated graduate student area that is accessible 24\/7 using key cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe new spaces are well-used,\u201d says Sheetal Prasad<\/strong>, a fourth-year PhD student and co-chair of York Graduate Students in Education (YGSE). \u201cOur grad lounge is the most popular. We have lockers so you don\u2019t need to lug your belongings around, and there\u2019s a kitchenette, a meeting room, a computer lounge and the YGSE office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Esther Martinez<\/strong>, a master\u2019s student YGSE co-chair, calls it a place for community. \u201cSome students come to campus just to see their peers. We were even able to have our fall social here\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nYork University Faculty of Education 015<\/a>