It's all under a brand new roof

Student Central is the new home for the Student's Union at the University of Bradford and the new heart of activity for students on campus. Around the new central atrium there is a Learning Mall with teaching rooms, a lecture theatre, Careers and Disability Services as well as a computer cluster. The Union Mall has open spaces for group study, the UBU offices, Advice Centre, Ramair, Counselling and a shop and café. These floors also provide a range of group study spaces. The Ents Mall has a range of bars, outside patio area, multi-function nightclub, entertainment areas and meeting rooms.

All three areas are designed to function in synergy with the J B Priestley Library as one learning environment, with the Learning Mall running through to the refurbished ground floor of the Library. The design creates a fusion of space for:

• Social learning
• Career orientated activities
• Self development
• Curriculum activities

It also provides space for students to showcase their work, interests, talents, volunteering activities and societies. The new social learning spaces for students include quiet spaces, open study areas and technology enabled group study rooms alongside space to work over a cup of coffee or lunch.

There are formal teaching spaces in the form of five seminar rooms and a 180-seat tiered lecture theatre. The cafe area and Learning Mall will be ideal places for academic staff to engage with tutorial groups or individual students in a less formal setting and we hope that both academic and support staff will enjoy using the space as a place to take a break, have lunch, meet up with colleagues or even have their team meetings.

Bradford is leading the sector in taking this innovative approach of providing such a wide range of learning and social space under one roof.