University:	Nottingham Trent University
Department:	School of Social Sciences
Project type:	Refurbishment
Completed:	2008
Space mix:	Cellular offices, break-out areas, laboratories and teaching rooms

This scheme involved the refurbishment of one floor of the University's Chaucer Building in order to accommodate the School of Social Sciences' psychology department. The psychology department had previously been housed in poor quality accomodation in York House, an eight storey 1960s office building.

The new office space was designed to: 

• Provide a better working environment for staff and students
• Promote openness. communication and interaction amongst staff
• Reflect and promote the University's corporate brand
• Improve space utilisation
• Provide flexibility to accommodate changing organisational requirements

The refurbished space is comprised of cellular offices either side of a wide, central corridor, which also contains break-out areas, shared printing facilities and an area for making drinks. There is a mix of single and multiple occupancy cellular offices, which are separated from the corridor by full-height glazed panels. In addition to the office space, the scheme comprises laboratory and flexible teaching facilities.

The office accommodation is occupied by a mix of PhD students, researchers, lecturers and professors, with more senior members of staff being allocated single occupancy offices. Students in the department have access to the office space via a swipe-card system.