Newark, New Jersey, USA
New Jersey Institute of Technology appointed ikon.5 architects to create a spacious structure, a lab in particular as an addition to the Guttenberg Information Technology Center in order to support innovative interdisciplinary programs that promote entrepreneurship.
This project was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The 14,000-square-foot lab is a resource for students and faculty to develop theoretical concepts into marketable prototypes.
The program and design of the Makerspace lab promote collaborative creativity through interdisciplinary teamwork using a variety of digital mediums and mechanical tools.
The Makerspace is an open workspace and lab for students and faculty to engage in innovative and entrepreneurial activities.
It provides seminars, training, and breakout rooms for group work; fabrication spaces for 3D printing, laser cutting, and printed circuit board (PCB) creation; and metrology and metal shops and assembly testing rooms, all to create prototypes and enhance creative collaboration.
The interior reflects the activities of the academic program: inherently flexible for reconfiguration, adaptable for multiple applications, and industrial for durability.
The transparent exterior facade in this centrally located site displays the innovative activities within and engages the entire campus and community.
The Makerspace Lab hosts diverse social, training, and lecture events throughout the year that brings students, faculty, and industry partners together across disciplines to learn and socialize.
Project: Makerspace Lab| New Jersey Institute of Technology
Architects: ikon.5 architects
Client: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Contractor: Gilbane
Photographers: Jeffrey Totaro
