Demand for moveable walls from universities has grown in recent years with many looking to modify their lecture theatres to create more adaptable space.
Michael Porter, Style’s group sales director reports that large lecture theatres are often underutilised with only a single class being taught at any one time.
“Universities regularly find their lecture theatres are only filled to 50% capacity or less,” said Michael. “For this reason, we have seen a rise in demand for moveable walls that can cope with a stepped lecture theatre or very large, high-ceilinged rooms, enabling staff to rapidly divide the space into two separate lecture theatres and run concurrent classes, thanks to the high acoustic divide.”
Style is UK’s leading moveable wall specialist, involved in many universities which have benefitted from the installation of either a vertically rising moveable wall, or a horizontally sliding wall, both which can be moved into position to sub-divide a lecture theatre into two entirely separate rooms.
At Strathclyde University, Style installed a Skyfold Zenith stepped moveable wall with an outstanding 59dB acoustic rating, which descends from the ceiling at the push of a button. A similar Skyfold was also installed at Glasgow University.
At Loughborough University, a vast 57dB Dorma Huppe Variflex ComfortDrive moveable wall was installed by Style, with fully automatic operation that ran via a dedicated channel in the centre of the room.
At the push of a button, the operable wall glides effortlessly into place to enable separate lectures to be hosted either side without disturbing one another. An integrated pass door provides access between the divided rooms so that the wall can remain in place for long periods of time if desired.
Other examples are at The Frederick Douglass Centre at Newcastle University, the lecture theatre at Oxford Brookes and also at Coventry University.
