Auditorium for presentations, offices

"Ukrainian Catholic University"

Architects: Mariia Pavlyshak-Zadorozhna, Galyna Strypa

Project Area: 355 sq. m
Project Year: 2020-2021

Location: Lviv, Ukraine

Photo credits: Lubov Chornenka

audience UCU felt interior design Office Office Design University Lviv ukraine auditorium

The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) is based in Lviv, Ukraine. UCU is one of the biggest private universities in Ukraine and also the first Catholic university opened on the territory of the former Soviet Union. In recent years entrants of UCU have had the highest evaluation scores in the country.

Buildings of the UCU

UCU’s buildings are located in three areas of Lviv. The Architecture of the university includes not only buildings but also the space that they create together. The purpose of the new campus is to stimulate trust and communication.

On the territory of the campus, there is currently a Training Center with a library, refectory, temple, and college. The Collegium consists of the old (2012) and new (2021) buildings connected together to form a courtyard.

The interiors which we designed are located in the new building of the College.

Functionally, there are the entrance hall of the hotel, the hall of the recruiting department with a conference hall, and office rooms.

All rooms are located next to each other in one block and are closely connected spatially and by common communications (stairs, elevator, bathrooms). Thus the main task was to keep the common style within all spaces but emphasize different functions and atmosphere as the Collegium is an integral whole.

Admissions department: auditorium for presentations, meeting room, entrance hall

The Admissions department includes the entrance hall-reception and auditorium. Also the meeting room is directly adjacent to these premises. Along the open corridor, which connects the admissions department with the hotel hall, there are offices.

The general task of finding interior solutions for these spaces was to clearly differentiate their functions while harmoniously combaning the style.

Wooden panels are used as the main unifying element (including the hotel lobby), but each room has its own special feature: burgundy wall and yellow curtains, white felt lampshade, and expressive transformative podium.

In general, all these rooms are visible from the outside as the whole plane of the external enclosing structures are windows. This affects the acoustics and comfort of the room.

Admissions department: auditorium for presentations

The main function of this room is holding presentations for entrants.

However, it is also important to be able to use it periodically for other purposes (education, training, etc.) or even change the function in the future.

The key element of flexibility is the sliding panels on the back of the podium. The room can be quickly reset from a lecture hall with a painted board into a presentation room with a neat background behind the podium and the possibility to set up the screen for the projector.

It was also important to ensure a comfortable acoustic mode in the room because 1/3 of enclosing structures is glass. This function is performed by a large area of wooden panels, carpet on the floor, acoustic baffles on the ceiling, curtains, and a sound-absorbing felt wall.

Admissions department: Entrance hall

To some extent, for many entrants this space may become the first encounter with the university. So the main functions are to gather people for a planned tour around the campus, to wait for a presentation or meeting to be held in the auditorium, or to provide information about admission, faculties, history, etc.

The colors and symbols of the university are used in the interior. There is a wall dedicated for the infographics on the history of UCU or the structure of faculties. Massive curtains are provided for comfort in the room.

Meeting room

This room has no functional connection with the recruiting hall and the auditorium for presentations — it rather belongs to the office block. However, due to its location and the glass wall, this space is well visible from the previously described premises. Therefore, it was important to stylistically combine the meeting room with the hall and the auditorium. The main solutions are to line the deep portal with wooden panels and use felt to decorate the lampshade over the meeting table.

Offices

The office space is located on the 1st floor (on the level with the admissions department and the hotel hall) and on the basement level. Connection between cabinets is established by stairs and the elevator. These offices can be used by employees of different departments or students. Communications (stairs, elevator, corridor) and bathrooms are shared with the recruitment department and the block of guest rooms (hotel).

Interior solutions were to be simple and versatile — white walls, gray carpet on the floor, acoustic panels on the walls and acoustic baffles on the ceiling, and good lighting.

To visually distinguish offices and main spaces (the auditorioum for presentations and meeting room) different shapes of baffles are used - rectangular and round. To diversify the interior we set an ordinary pattern for acoustic panels. The kitchen unit on the lower level of offices is highlighted in color for better navigation.