M.I.Y. - Make It Yourself
Academic Year FA/2021
Client: Forsyth Satellite Academy
Location: 198 Forsyth St. NY
The makerspace design project for students at Forsyth Satellite Academy focuses on creating a flexible learning environment based on the conversation with the students and on the research on STEAM education. The design is to provide spaces that allow freedom in learning and creativity while improving communication among students. The main aspect of this project is the learning space with flexible storage solutions, solving the issue of limited storage and enabling students to interact not only through talking but also through sharing materials and ideas.
Forsyth Satellite Academy.
Forsyth Satellite Academy is located in 198 Forsyth Street, NY. This is the transfer high school for students with different backgrounds and identities. The school is located near Soho area with different galleries, which makes more students to be interested in Art and Design.
Existing Conditions & STEAM Education.
STEAM is the education system that integrates Art into the existing STEM field. Forsyth Academy incorporated STEAM education to build more interactive, creative and innovative learning space that allows students to freely express their ideas and identities.
Art Room
The photo of the classroom shows there is a lack of space to work and to store materials. So all the materials that are bought by teachers and donated are stacked within classroom.
Math Room
The photos of the existing Math room shows how students have great interest in art and art is used in study.
Corridor Room
The boards on the wall are not updated for a while.
Science Room
Faculties want to build learning environment that breaks the hierarchy between students and teachers and also want to remove the non-removable typical science desks.
Makerspace as the learning space.
The new learning space at Forsyth Satellite changed from the conventional classroom model, creating a more flexible and inspirational environment for learning.
Movable Shelving System
Flexible shelving system allowing students to share items and remaining materials with other students. Hexagonal shape is chosen for the design to maximize the number of shelf units in limited space and to represent the idea of 'hub'.
Material Box:
1.
Student put unused materials or teachers put new materials to be explored into the box.
Students also are welcome to put any artworks that they don't want to keep as the inspirational works for the others.
2.
Other students find new/unused materials that are necessary for their work.
3.
If they want the whole things inside of the box, instead of taking them out from the box, they can simply take out the box itself from the shelf.
4.
Students bring the box unit to the desk to work on their own project.
Tool Box:
The toolboxes have glass doors to prevent the accidental dropping of tools, which can be dangerous to students. To accommodate tools with various sizes, the shelves are designed in three different depths and incorporate a color-coding system for easy organization.
Learning environment made by students themselves.
By moving the shelf units around the area, students can transform the learning space into a unique and unique environment filled with shared ideas, resources, and messages. Reducing the number of shelf units in the corridor opens up the space, connecting the room of creating with the corridor, while adding more shelves creates character for the space of sharing.
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Corridor with Shelves
Room of Sharing
