EF International School wanted to create a fresh and engaging student experience in their central Auckland location. The School is an 822 sqm learning environment spread over 4 floors and provides English language education and associated services to an average of 350 students per week.
In partnership with Kiwi Office in Auckland, Europlan worked on a refurbishment project for the Level 3 student lounge, a 130 sqm space able to accommodate up to 50 students at one time.
The collaborative approach between EF, Kiwi Office and Europlan allowed us to identify the current challenges of the lounge area and provide consultation on how best to activate the space and drive engagement.
There were some key areas of the space that we needed to resolve:
- The ceiling of the space was made of dark wood and featured large beams, it was impacted by an angled roof and as a result wasn’t flush
- The activities/travel desk was positioned in an area away from the centre of the space making it less of a focal point or destination
- A large table tennis table occupied important floor space and presented challenges around managing noise associated with the activity
- Overall the lounge area lacked legibility, social engagement and the colour palette wasn’t supporting the EF brand experience for students and visitors
