University of Warwick spent almost £200k on new ‘Barbie’ inspired learning space

The University of Warwick’s new Barbie movie inspired social space cost the institution nearly £200,000.

Intended to be a multipurpose area, the space was developed with a focus on sustainability and innovation.

An FOI sent by The Boar revealed that the University of Warwick paid suppliers £166,439 plus VAT, equating to £199,726.80 in total.

Following its unveiling, some students were left puzzled by its purpose, taking to Instagram to express their dissatisfaction.

via Instagram @uniofwarwick

According to the university website the Forum is a “vibrant new outdoor space nestled by Café Library that provides a multi-use area for students, staff and visitors to learn, work and play.”

It was developed alongside creative consultancy, Creative Giants who have created multiple works locally around Coventry and have worked with the likes of Playstation, Xbox, Glastonbury and Meta.

Despite campus assertions that the forum is a “space for all communities to enjoy”, comments online suggest that students are not overjoyed by the pink space.

Painted to “create a playful and creative space where ideas can flourish, and self-expression can thrive”, some users joked that it was an “eyesore”.

One user, Dan, wrote: “Babe wake up the newest campus eyesore just dropped.”

Mel wrote: “I’d like to know who the minds behind this abomination are”, whilst one person asked “Does anyone actually use this area?”.

Another savage comment read: “Didn’t anyone do market research before deciding on this’.”

Despite the confusion, one user, Mahek, was clearly sad to not have access to the new pink space, writing: “They make Warwick Barbieland the second I leave.”

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Built using “high impact sustainable materials” the university highlighted the desire to produce a space that that “feels welcoming and inclusive for our campus community”.

However, the general opinion among the student body seems to be confusion as to why it was a necessary feature on campus, with a survey by The Boar finding over 80 per cent of respondents dubing the new space as “awful”.

Images via Instagram @uniofwarwick