Style sees increase in moveable walls for University lecture theatres

2023-10-27

Demand for moveable walls at Universities has grown in recent years with many looking to create adaptable space within their lecture theatres.

Michael Porter, Style’s group sales director says that large lecture theatres are often underutilised when only one class can be taught at any one time, which is why dividing the room into two is seen as so beneficial.

“It’s quite rare for very large lecture theatres to be full of students every day,” said Michael, “which is why Universities often find they are regularly being used at only 50% of their capacity or less.

“For this reason, we have seen demand rise for installing moveable walls that can cope with a stepped lecture theatre or very large, high ceilinged-rooms, enabling staff to divide the space into two separate lecture theatres and run concurrent classes.

“As the UK’s leading moveable wall specialist, we have many examples of where we have installed either a vertically rising moveable wall, or a horizontally sliding wall, which sub-divides the space with ease to create two lecture theatres, or be opened up into one large area.”

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.

“With Universities often struggling with space, creating flexibility within the lecture theatres and other teaching rooms is very much the norm now,” concluded Michael. “This is why we are seeing such high demand from the education sector for moveable walls – especially ones with high acoustic ratings that ensure that classes can be run either side undisturbed.”

For more information, please contact your nearest regional Style office