CREJ

/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2017

ELEMENTS

Maker Spaces

he term “maker space”

is getting a good deal of

attention lately, especially

in education environments. In fact,

maker spaces have been part of a

trend that began over a decade ago.

The idea of making things, of course,

is not new, but the concept of

incorporating physical spaces

within learning environments

designed to foster greater cross-dis-

cipline collaboration and problem

solving through creating things has

just begun to really take hold.

At its heart, the term maker space

is about collaboration. That is, bringing

people and ideas of diverse backgrounds

and disciplines together to generate ideas

and solve problems. Having spaces that fa-

cilitate those goals is critical, especially in the

modern learning environment, whether for young

students in a K-12 setting or college students in a

higher education setting.

Our firm focuses on a few primary aspects of what

makes a successful maker space, and the factors that

influence our conscious design decisions. These as-

pects include offering flexible environments for col-

laborative work; bringing diverse disciplines and

industries together; and fostering opportunities for

creative ideation and problem-solving through the act

of making things.

Space for Flexible Collaboration

Whenever we think about maker spaces, the actual

space itself is critical. Having a space that can be differ-

ent things to different students means that it should

be a welcoming, neutral space with many different

opportunities for use.

In the K-12 setting, a flexible space may take the

form of a wide corridor with classrooms on either

side. The corridor might be used both for circulation

– so that students and faculty can move through it

and across it – but also as a collaborative and instruc-

tional space where multiple students from different

classrooms can work together or alongside one an-

other.

Flexible spaces in both K-12 and higher education

settings include large tables or work desks with cast-

ers so they can be moved around, as well as high-

top tables or bar seating for head-down concentra-

tion over a laptop. Lounge seating and couches offer

space for more informal discussion or casual group

ideation. The goal of this varied “palette of postures”

is to accommodate individuals as well as groups;

deep concentration as well as lively discussion. In the

higher education setting, it’s important that the space

feel neutral and approachable rather than controlled

by a single degree program or discipline. A consistent

food source – a snack bar or vending machine at the

very least – never hurts, either.

Opportunities to Bridge Different Disciplines

Even in the K-12 setting, a key component of a suc-

cessful maker space is the opportunity to bring togeth-

er multiple ideas or learning styles. For younger ages,

this might be a space where visual learners as well as

auditory learners have the ability to learn and create in

their own ways. It might also mean working with puz-

zles to better learn reading skills, or working on build-

ing letters into words while literally building a tower

of blocks. Maker space are used to bring different con-

cepts together from different disciplines to show stu-

dents how and why things work together, which gives

them the ability to develop and synthesize solutions.

Having a space to create, be messy and find connec-

tions between subject matter is a big part of the K-12

maker space concept.

In the higher education setting, this concept takes

shape in bringing together students of different de-

gree programs or majors. For example, we are design-

ing the Entrepreneurial Space at Williams Village at

University of Colorado Boulder to be a gateway maker

space, where underclassmen can wander in on their

way to or from the dining hall right next door. The

2,000-square-foot space offers a neutral, approachable

environment for meeting others, sharing ideas with

upperclassmen and even visiting with professionals

and business owners from the surrounding commu-

nity. At its heart, the space offers a place to learn the

protocols of collaboration – how to interact with oth-

ers to solve problems – as well as gain mentorship and

even hone their enterprising spirits for future busi-

ness ideas.

Tools to Develop Creative Solutions

Another common thread in maker spaces from the

David Schafer

Principal, OZ

Architecture

Kelly Yamasaki

Principal, OZ

Architecture

Designing Creative Collaboration Spaces in Schools from K-12 to Higher Education

Robert Benson Photography

A maker space in the CU Visual Arts Complex welcomes stu-

dents and mentors in a collaborative, interactive space.