Small Scale, High Impact: From Brief to Belonging at Abertay University - AUDE Awards Webinar Series

Title: Small Scale, High Impact: A Student‑Centered Design Approach at Abertay University - AUDE Awards Webinar Series
Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Time: 12:00 - 12:45

Join us to hear from the inaugural winner of the AUDE & University Design Forum Small Scale, High Impact Design Award; Cullen Warnock, Chief Estates Officer at Abertay University and Gina Colley, Architect and Associate Director at Threesixty Architecture.

A copy of the design brief overview submitted by Abertay to accompany their award application can be downloaded, for an overview on their initiative. 

Synopsis: 

The Students’ Association project at Abertay University forms a central element of the ground floor refurbishment of the Library, relocating the Association into the heart of the academic environment and redefining how students access representation, support and community space. The project was driven by a clear ambition: to create a welcoming, inclusive and student‑owned environment that bridges academic life and student experience, while responding to the wellbeing and social learning needs of a diverse student body.

The design delivers a series of flexible, human‑scaled spaces that encourage both individual reflection and peer‑to‑peer interaction. By situating the Students’ Association within the Library, the project intentionally removes physical and psychological barriers, embedding student advocacy and support directly into the daily rhythms of learning and study. This location enables informal engagement, strengthens democratic participation and ensures that support is visible, accessible and relevant at the point of need.

Developed through close collaboration between Estates, the Students’ Association, academic colleagues and the design team, the space reflects strong institutional values around inclusion, partnership and wellbeing. Early post‑occupancy feedback demonstrates that the environment has enhanced visibility, strengthened student engagement and acted as an effective bridge between academic and student life. Through modest investment and thoughtful design, the project has delivered a high‑impact intervention that meaningfully enriches the educational and social experience at Abertay University.

Reasons to attend:

• Learn how student‑centred design drives belonging and engagement: Discover how Abertay University embedded student support, wellbeing and representation into the heart of the library, removing barriers and creating spaces where students genuinely feel they belong.
• Gain practical insights from an AUDE award‑winning project: Hear first‑hand lessons from a Small Scale, High Impact design case study, including what worked, what was learned, and how collaborative design can deliver measurable outcomes.
• See how high‑impact transformation can be achieved on a modest budget: Explore how thoughtful, values‑led design and partnership working enabled Abertay University to deliver significant cultural and spatial change without large‑scale capital investment.

Cullen Warnock, Chief Estates Officer at Abertay University

I am an infrastructure and estates engineering professional with over four decades of experience in construction, property, and the delivery of complex built environment systems. My career has progressed from technical and project delivery roles through to senior strategic leadership, with accountability for infrastructure performance, capital investment, operational resilience, and long term sustainability.

My current and recent roles involve responsibility for major estates and infrastructure programmes, including low‑carbon heat and energy systems, deep retrofit of occupied buildings, and the preparation of Strategic Outline Cases (SOC) and Outline Business Cases (OBC) to HM Treasury Green Book standards. My work regularly involves the integration of engineering, commercial, regulatory, and organisational considerations in live operational environments.

Gina Colley, Architect and Associate Director at Threesixty Architecture

Gina Colley is an Architect at Threesixty Architecture, working across retrofit projects and town and city-centre masterplanning throughout the UK. Her practice is rooted in meaningful community engagement, ensuring a genuinely people-first approach to the design of buildings and urban environments.

Gina has a particular interest in accessible and inclusive design, with experience spanning civic, education, workplace and retail sectors. Alongside her professional practice, Gina actively contributes to sector-wide change as a member of the Revo Hub and Revo Scotland Committees, the industry body for the evolution of traditional retail assets.

She is a strong advocate of Feminist Urbanism, and currently sits on the Glasgow Urban Design Panel, championing more equitable, inclusive and socially responsive urban development.