Maclay School, a Tallahassee-based college preparatory school, has unveiled three new student labs made from refurbished shipping containers. The three labs, combined with a shared courtyard and gardens designed to foster collaboration, are collectively known as the Beck Family Research Center (BFRC).
Each lab will house a different focus: Biomedical and Student Research; Art, Inspiration, and Design; and Computer Science, Robotics, and Engineering. The containers were constructed off-site and shipped to the school. The labs include similar resources to those offered by research universities such as technology, active learning furnishings, and hands-on equipment. The furniture in all three labs is flexible and mobile to help create student-centered instruction and easy collaboration.
See Also: ASU Health Futures Center combines a novel design and approach to learning
An outdoor garden features raised beds that can double as seating. The beds contain plants that were selected for their potential to be used in lesson plans across all grade levels. The garden also includes a Solar SmartFlower. The SmartFlower uses solar panels arranged like flower petals to track the sun’s position throughout the day. When bad weather rolls in or the sun goes down, the “petals” retract, opening again when the sun comes out. The SmartFlower provides data for students to monitor and study on campus as part of the curricululm.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Apr 18, 2022
SmithGroup to design new Univ. of Colorado Denver engineering, design, computing building
The University of Colorado Denver selected SmithGroup to design a new engineering, design, and computing building that will serve as anchor of new downtown innovation district.
Market Data | Apr 14, 2022
FMI 2022 construction spending forecast: 7% growth despite economic turmoil
Growth will be offset by inflation, supply chain snarls, a shortage of workers, project delays, and economic turmoil caused by international events such as the Russia-Ukraine war.
K-12 Schools | Apr 1, 2022
Charleston County’s award-winning career and technical education high school
BD+C Executive Editor Rob Cassidy talks with the team behind the award-winning Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies, a Career|Technical Education high school in Charleston County, S.C.
Projects | Apr 1, 2022
University complex encourages exchange between academics and residents
In the small Danish city of Horsens, C.F. Møller Architects has created a university complex that unites higher education with urban life—creating synergies among students, staff, businesses, and residents
Projects | Mar 31, 2022
Tech school designed to prepare students for high-wage, high-skill careers
In Wesley Chapel, Fla., a half-hour north of Tampa, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation (KRAI) is “not going to look like anything you’ve ever seen before,” Kim Moore, assistant superintendent at Pasco County Schools, said in a statement.
Energy-Efficient Design | Mar 25, 2022
University of Pittsburgh Releases ‘Pitt Climate Action Plan’
The University of Pittsburgh has released the Pitt Climate Action Plan, detailing how the University will achieve its goal to go carbon neutral by 2037 through investments in clean energy, transportation, efficiency and other areas.
Higher Education | Mar 24, 2022
Higher education sector sees 19 percent reduction in facilities investments
Colleges and universities face a growing backlog of capital needs and funding shortfalls, according to Gordian’s 2022 State of Facilities in Higher Education report.
Projects | Mar 16, 2022
Tomorrow’s STEM leaders get a state-of-the-art research complex
In February, North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University (NC A&T) opened its new Engineering Research & Innovation Complex (ERIC).
University Buildings | Mar 7, 2022
A new facility can offer thousands of equine therapy sessions a year
At its new Spur campus in Denver, Colorado State University (CSU) will bring its expertise to the public by offering free educational experiences to visitors of all ages. Spur’s three buildings—Hydro, Terra, and Vida—will focus, respectively, on water, earth, and life.
Higher Education | Mar 1, 2022
SRG Partnership designs a nautically inspired space for maritime science
A community college in Oregon has begun construction on a new building devoted to maritime science. With it, the school hopes to solidify its position as a major industrial and marine technology center in the Pacific Northwest.
