STUDENT ZEN DEN Interface creates an immersive wellbeing space at a leading UK university.
Home to more than 17,000 UK and international students, the University of Surrey is one of the country’s leading institutions for research and innovation. It prides itself on being a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research. For this reason, student health and wellbeing is a top priority.
When it came to creating its new wellbeing space, known as MySurrey Nest, on the Stag Hill campus in Guildford, the university turned to flooring manufacturer and global leader in sustainability Interface, alongside construction and fit out specialist Morgan Lovell, to deliver a unique solution.
A SPACE TO RECHARGE The university already had a number of wellbeing services available to students, including on-campus breakout areas to relax and unwind in, but it wanted to go further.
Neil Hornsey, senior project manager for planning and development at the University of Surrey, said: “We wanted to offer students a space different to any other on campus; an accessible work-free area where they could fully switch off, recharge and temporarily forget about learning.
“We understand that the key to student wellbeing is ensuring they have downtime and the opportunity to completely remove themselves from the pressures of university life, which is why the creation of the wellbeing space was so important to us.”
A crucial part of this involved embedding biophilic design – the principle of increasing occupants’ connectivity to nature
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through the use of natural materials and nature-inspired aesthetics, with the ultimate aim of boosting wellbeing.
Elevating student wellbeing has been considered in every aspect of the design of the vibrant space, from motivational neon signs and plant walls, to a range of comfortable seating and cocoon pods for students to relax and recuperate in.
As a long-time champion of biophilic design, many of Interface’s products provide the sensory and natural cues that help people feel motivated and positive. This made them the perfect partner to supply the 450m² of flooring for the wellbeing-focused space.
Pino Catalano, lead designer at Morgan Lovell, commented: “Incorporating the principles of biophilic design was important to us as we wanted to create a positive and immersive space, that would encourage students to reconnect with each other and with nature. We chose these Interface products as we could use the textures and colourways to create a natural, outdoor-like environment that boosts productivity and wellbeing.”
CREATING CONNECTIONS To create a dynamic space, the playful patterns of Look Both Ways LVT were integrated into the design. A combination of Walk About, Walk the Aisle and Walk On By blend seamlessly with the carpet tiles to create a series of striking combinations and offer pops of colour throughout the space. Importantly, the LVT tiles come with Sound Choice acoustic backing, which reduces impact noise by 16 dB to avoid
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