Hi Everyone,
I am writing to acknowledge the receipt of your petition regarding the current state of the facility and the perceived impact on your education due to ongoing construction and the use of alternative rooms. I and the broader team appreciate your proactive approach in bringing these concerns forward.
I would also like to express gratitude for your patience as our team and the Funkhaus work to address the issues raised in your petition. The impetus of this entire project is to provide each of you with improved facilities that are even more conducive to your learning and working environment, so it is equally frustrating for us that this project is taking longer than anticipated.
Tomorrow, Jamie Thomas, our education lead, Gabrielle Szambelan, our academic standards lead, and I will be meeting with the representatives of your ad-hoc student union to discuss the petition and the next steps outlined in our complaints procedure.
Instead of having a big reveal as we had hoped, you’ve likely seen the changes take place step by step. I imagine you have many questions about what these spaces are becoming and when they might be complete. I would like to share with you now the details of the project so that you have the same information that we have.
Theatre
The theatre is now almost complete. Some acoustic isolation still needs to take place, though the most critical areas have already been addressed. The team will incrementally improve the lighting and sound elements with further darkening of the windows and a PA system with improved sound and light control.
Toilets
The ground floor toilets are complete and have been usable for the past week.
Co-Lab 3
This classroom is now complete. We will incrementally seek to improve the acoustic isolation of vintage doors, which were reused by the Funkhaus as is their standard practice.
Social Spaces & Kitchen
The common area in what was previously known as “The Void” is now accessible. The kitchen is being installed this week, and we anticipate that it will be functional in 1-2 weeks. The kitchen will have a “wet” area in the center, with multiple dishwashers, fridges, and microwaves available. Lights and further electrical are also being installed in this space and will be complete in 1 week. The interim furniture should also be replaced shortly by more tables and chairs as well as seating around the yellow “stage” element.
Co-Lab 2
This is the first door on your left when you walk in on the ground floor, it will replace the Fashion Circus. Unfortunately, the exterior glass wall, which was ordered by the Funkhaus, was not delivered by the manufacturer. We have been waiting for some time for this space to be sealed and for us to complete our own technical installation. The latest information we have is that this element will be delivered today, and we have been assured that the installation will take place this week.
Co-Lab 1
The large open space in the ground-floor foyer, which used to be known as the “Co-Mingle,” will become Co-Lab 1 by sealing it with another glass wall and which will be surrounded by an internal curtain. In this case, the Funkhaus also did not order the element in time, and we unfortunately still have no timeline on when it will be complete.
Postboxes 5 / 6
Two new postboxes that are switchable between Mac and PC (for VFX and film) will be available early next week.
Cinema
Our 32-seat cinema is taking shape, but there is still a substantial amount of work required for it to be complete. Over the next weeks, carpeting, curtains, electrical, and all technology will be installed. The good news is that the bulk of the carpentry is now complete, so this space is going to take shape much more quickly. When complete, the cinema will be all black, with a 3.27m wide calibrated screen, laser projector, and JBL cinema speakers.
Student Services, Offices, and Meeting Rooms
Our student services and administration office will be moving into the new glass wall office in the foyer (this is where a reception desk currently stands). Directly across from that will be the new education and administration office.
New meeting rooms have been added in the social area (the ones with big glass walls). These will be available to our team and students. The current upstairs office will become two independent meeting spaces for our team, and we have two additional cube meeting spaces planned on the ground floor that will be built by the Funkhaus in the future.
Etikett Radio
As soon as the Funkhaus has completed the exterior and interior walls in the rest of the facility, they will begin renovating this space. We are revamping Etikett Radio with new software, new roles, and a better space. However, this does mean that it will be offline for some time to come.
Ventilation
Over the next weeks, there will be a ventilation system installed, which exchanges outside air with that from the film studio, meeting spaces, postboxes, and cinema. This installation will take place between 06:00 and 09:30.
In summary, the project is now entering the final phase. We are well-prepared to move into new spaces as they become available and are primarily waiting on the completion of two rooms, electrical & lighting installations, and ventilation.
Thank you for your continued patience, and I hope you are looking forward to these new spaces as much as we are. As always, if you have any questions, you are welcome to send me a message directly.
All the best,
Nathaniel