Specifications

Learning Spaces Guidelines
Large Lecture Theatres: 36
The traditional layout of the audience seating in large lecture theatres
is long, single rows with one row of seats per tier in raked spaces.
Rows are either straight or curved with the intention of keeping the
individual seats orientated to the teaching focus of the space. Seats
either have a fold-out note-taking surface or are behind shallow fixed
desking.
In future consideration should be given to alternative layouts.
One layout idea that has been seen at other institutions (Exeter and
Iowa State) is to provide alternate rows of seating that can be rotated
to facilitate the small group discussion that is now common in
sessions that are seeking to be more active and engaging.
above: example lecture theatre layout with rotating seating
If this type of seating is to be included specific attention needs to
be given to the relative positioning of the seats. Errors that can be
made include positioning both front and rear seats on a particular
tier in direct alignment obscuring the view of the rear seat occupant.
Another error, that has been seen in a lecture theatre of this design
at another institution, is insufficient space between the two rows on
the same tier which results in occupants being uncomfortably close
when in discussion mode.
Another, more interesting design, goes one step further and gets
the students to sit in groups from the outset. This design, seen at
Loughborough University, also has the benefit of giving each group
a large enough shared table space that small scale group practical
task and/or object-based learning can be practised.
TASK
Seating
7.02
Reference
Iowa State University case
study:
http://net.educause.edu/ir/
library/pdf/P7102cs9.pdf