Suppose you have been “handed the keys” to a completely empty 8000 square-foot space, and have been directed to design facilities/labs for engineering, robotics, cinematography, and photography programs. Assume this is for a 9th through 12th grade school, and there are currently 4-5 instructors and one FRC team who will use this space. Assume there is no budget cap. What would you put in the space, and how would you organize it? Also, keep in mind how you’d structure school-day classes of 25-30 students around the facilities. One thing I have trouble imagining is just what kind of class you’d have with 30 students and only one of each type of machine. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to have more than one of some?
I have a similar role in a similar scenario, so I’d like to get some ideas from a few of the folks here. Specific recommendations for equipment would be fantastic.
I’d like to see at the least a good fabrication/shop facility with a decent sized VMC, BridgePort, lathe, TIG, press brake, large bandsaw, table saw, cold saw, and waterjet or laser, and powder coat and anodize setup, workbenches etc etc. And then a couple high-powered computer labs, perhaps a film set and photo shoot area, that could maybe double as a playing field. Maybe an electronics lab. That’s about as far as my ideas go currently.
Also, if anyone else has recently done a renovation or addition at their school to benefit robotics/engineering programs, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks.
