All to be revealed as Building 7 prepares to open
February 2015
As the final staff move in and technical commissioning work wraps up, Building 7 is preparing to throw open its doors and shed some light on the secrets within.
As the final staff move in and technical commissioning work wraps up, Building 7 is preparing to throw open its doors and shed some light on the secrets within.
Under wraps to all but the staff working in the building since its practical completion in October 2014, Building 7 has generated much speculation about its high-tech spaces and interior architecture. It is hardly surprising that the rest of the UTS community can’t wait to see inside when the building opens for teaching later this month. Check out this short video for a sneak peek!
Building 7's interior architecture is sure to be a talking point when the building opens
Building access
From the start of Semester 1 on 23 February, there will be general access to the public areas of the building from both the Alumni Green (main) and Jones St (café) entries between 8am–9pm on weekdays. Out-of-hours and weekend access, and entry/exit via the Building 4 interconnecting doors, will be only via staff and student card with pre-programmed access – as will access to classrooms, labs and offices.
On the move
As the countdown begins, around 80 Science staff and higher degree research students are packing boxes and preparing to move into the building next week, joining approximately 150 who moved earlier this year and around 260 who relocated in 2014.
Best wishes to those settling into their new home.
In training
In the last InProgress of 2014, UTS Audio Visual Services (AVS) shared the secrets behind the mammoth commissioning job in the giant Super Lab and elsewhere in Building 7.
As the final stage of the commissioning project, academic and support staff are being trained to use the new spaces.
Around 40 technical staff in the Faculty of Science, ITD and AVS attended training in mid-January, which proved a handy load-test for the Super Lab while also identifying opportunities for enhancements.
“By getting hands-on and simulating lessons, we were able to get a sense of how the technology will work in practice,” says senior project manager Rob Hardy.
That initial training session has been used as the basis for the Super Lab training that AVS will run for academics and casual academics this week and next. These hands-on sessions will train staff in how the presentation technology can be used to suit different class set-ups and sizes.
“The AVS trainers are very confident with the technology in the space,” says client services manager Kathy Grattan. “The challenge for us has been to understand how teaching staff will use the space in a practical sense.
“We plan to give staff as many options and suggestions as we can for using the technology to enhance their teaching.”
Training in the other Faculty of Science labs and teaching spaces is scheduled to start on 16 February.
Training for Graduate School of Health (GSH) staff in using the health professional teaching spaces kicked off in late January. A second group undertook training on 6 February, and further sessions will be scheduled during the month as required.
Please contact Kathy Grattan or phone ext. 1111 to discuss additional training requirements.
With the conclusion of training, staff and their new building will be as well prepared as possible for the start of Semester 1 teaching. Congratulations to ITD and AVS for a huge effort in delivering the technology and training that will help shape the future of learning at UTS.
In the works
After the start of semester, work will continue in a few areas, including:
- Ground floor café, where the tenant’s development application has just received council approval. Expect more details on the fit-out soon. Light meals, sandwiches, cakes and various beverages are likely to be on the menu when the café opens. Yum!
- Planning for the official opening ceremony, due to be held during Semester 1. Watch this space for more details – coming soon!
