At the new gateway to the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, visitors will not see traditional displays of robotics or engineering feats. Instead, the 180,000-square-foot Student Hall for Exploration and Development features two transparent cubes offering views into various activities. In one cube, actors rehearse theater performances, while students practice dance moves in the other.
Upon entering the $120 million building, visitors will find the theater located next to glass-walled maker spaces, providing a unique view into a crescent-shaped atrium. The maker spaces are filled with a variety of benches and machine tools connected to the ceiling by electrical cords and exhaust hoods. Garage-style doors open to showcase ongoing projects being invented and improved within.
The design of the Student Hall for Exploration and Development encourages collaboration and creativity among students and faculty alike. The open layout and transparent cubes allow for a sense of transparency and connectivity between different disciplines and activities taking place within the building. Visitors passing by are invited to witness the innovation and experimentation happening in real-time.