Portland College, ILT Learning Centre, Mansfield, Nottingham

Background & Context

The vision was 'to create the first national ILT Learning Centre designed specifically for disabled learners'.

Information Learning Technology is a powerful enabler for people with physical disabilities and associated learning difficulties. Effective application of ILT in its broadest sense has furnished disabled learners with a raft of opportunities that would not have been possible without the ILT revolution. It is envisaged that research and development in this area will continue to improve the access disabled learners have to learning and the wider community, and this factor was a key driver in Portland College's vision to create the first national ILT learning centre designed specifically for disabled learners. In 1997 the College's Principal, Mike Syms, OBE, pulled together the first strands of a concept that would eventually become reality in 2006. The centre was to be designed in order to afford optimal flexibility to accommodate future changes and developments.

The Learning Centre is located in the heart of the College grounds adjacent to both the Administration Block and the Newstart Building. The central position will enable the new building to become the focal point of the College and thus enhance the collegiate feel of the campus. The Reception function of the College will operate from the Learning Centre's Reception area.

In addition to serving the Portland College Community, the Learning Centre will be accessed by the wider community - locally, regionally and nationally. Through associated activities the College will establish a Regional Centre of Excellence for people with disabilities.

The Portland College Skills for Life Strategy is to imbue learners with the ambition and the enthusiasm to succeed in life, and to help them to undertake education and training to achieve their aspirations. Over recent years the support offered to learners for Skills for Life and Key Skills development has increased considerably and having outgrown its current base the Skills for Life team is eagerly awaiting its move to the Learning Centre. Acquisition of Skills for Life and Key Skills is fundamentally important as these skills underpin all other components of the learners' programmes. Therefore, it is fitting that the Skills for Life team is moving into purpose built, spacious accommodation to enable further developments and improvements to the support offered. In addition to timetabled Skills for Life sessions and Workshops, the Skills for Life Room will be developed as a resource room, providing learners and staff with access to a variety of electronic material, journals etc to assist them with their studies, research and planning.

Already a leading provider in the field, Portland College was keen to maintain and enhance its reputation. Governors and managers identified the need to develop more spacious teaching and learning spaces especially as the complexity of learners' needs increased often meaning they required more space to accommodate larger electric wheelchairs etc. There was a major need for additional space to give the College the opportunity to grow and develop in modern, purpose-built buildings. Additional space would also enable the College to open its facilities to the wider community.

In addition to meeting the technological requirements and provide a high quality environment for teaching and learning the ultimate design needed to complement the College's surroundings. Selection of the architects was a major decision and would clearly be very influential in the design and quality of the finished building. Patel Taylor Architects were selected and continued to work very closely with the College from the initial design to the completion of the project. Patel Taylor's skills meant that they were able to create a design that knitted into the existing framework of the College and provided an opportunity to enliven the campus and inspire and motivate learners. From the outset, it was important to all concerned that there was a clear strategy for improving and consolidating the 'masterplan' of the campus, to include landscaping, creating pedestrian zones and enhancing routes through the campus.