The Catalyst building is located on our Leek Road site in Stoke-on-Trent and is open daily from 8am to 10pm.
This £43m facility is home to a wide variety of study spaces and breakout areas and is accessible to ALL students and apprentices at the University. It also features a Library Click and Collect facility and Lapsafe located in the main atrium on the ground floor as well as a food court.
Ground floor
The Ground Floor offers a series of welcoming, vibrant and social spaces used by students, staff, and visitors.
To the left of the entrance foyer, there is The Catalyst Hall and The Catalyst Café which combine to form the day-to-day social learning spaces in the building.
To the right of the entrance are The Kitchen and The Sitting Room.
The Kitchen
The sitting room
All spaces on the ground floor are accessible to students. Many of our seating areas have plug-in points for devices and can be used for independent study and group work.
Level 2
Level 2 of The Catalyst is our main hub for student activity. Alongside our seven seminar rooms, The Learning Lab and The Learning Market, this floor also offers a wide range of spaces for students wishing to study, collaborate on projects or socialise. It also has printers available to use with your student card.
Foyer and Learning Lounge
Centred around the main atrium of Level 2, The Foyer and Learning Lounge areas offer break out areas, seating and touch down space with power for your devices. Desktop computers are also available to use in this area.
Webinar Pods
Did you know The Catalyst has eight large webinar pods for you to work from? These spaces are ideal for those all-important group projects and come equipped with a screen allowing you to cast your work, brainstorm and conference call as well as have ample desk space. To work from. No prior booking is required for these areas.
Private Meeting Rooms
A total of 16 private meeting rooms are also available on this floor and are bookable via panels outside of each room for students wishing to collaborate or study in a quiet and closed-off space. Like the webinar pods, each room comes fully equipped with tables and chairs as well as a digital screen.
Level 2 Breakout Spaces
Level 2 also has loads of informal break out areas and seating arrangements so you’re sure to find something that suits your needs – whether it’s studying or socialising in between lectures or working on projects.
Level 3
Independent Study Area
This floor contains extensive study private study spaces providing a change of pace from the more open plan areas on Level 2. Our two independent study areas on this floor are located at the far end of the building. To access these areas, you’ll need to go through the Staffordshire Centre of Learning and Pedagogic Practice and head to the rooms at the far end of the floor.
Our independent study areas offer access to a range of different desk configurations to suit your study needs. Students can access desks with desktop computers or bring their own devices to use our clear desks with power sockets. If you need extra privacy or want to get your head down on an assignment, cubicle desk areas are also available within this zone.
Level 3 Breakout Spaces
Desk spaces are available around the main atrium with plug points for devices as well as break out seating areas. There is also an area with additional desktop computer devices for all your study needs.
