Interdisciplinary Design Commons
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
2020 South Atlantic Region AIA Honor Award
Known by students as “The Hive”, the IDC is one of the premier makerspaces, and the largest electronics-oriented makerspace, in the United States. The project transformed an existing, windowless, concrete-domed auditorium built in 1961 into an open, light-filled makerspace for all students and faculty from disciplines across campus. With the insertion of a new mezzanine level, communicating stairs, new entrances, and an exterior work plaza, the project is specifically designed as an open and readily accessible facility where students feel empowered to experiment, design, and prototype their ideas.
“I see this space as iconic - located in the center of campus, (it) shares the spirit, the ambition, the drive, the curiosity, the ideas that our students have – and they can make them happen in that space. People who come for the first time are blown away by the light and how it feels. The atmosphere is really cool and that's important. It's (also) important that our makerspaces are welcoming - people can crash into each other with their ideas and their energy, and you really feel that when you walk into the space.”
– Steve McLaughlin, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Georgia Tech
