Making Maker Space

“Situ Studio and the New York Hall of Science share the conviction that the act of making itself can and should become a generative part of both learning and design,” said Situ’s Wes Rozen at the opening. “We are thrilled to be able to work with the New York Hall of Science on Maker Space as it is a project which, in many ways, is the embodiment of these values.”

Situ’s structure arches over approximately 1,200 square feet within the Hall of Science’s Central Pavilion, designed by Wallace Harrison for the 1964 World’s Fair. The space includes a system of modular acoustical panels, display cases, and storage units that tie into the structure with a series of threaded perforations. Furniture units can be tucked under the structure if more floor space is needed for group activities.

With approximately two months for research and schematic design, one month for design development (including sourcing materials and securing sponsorship of some products), and two months for fabrication and installation, Maker Space was realized in a tight time frame and on a limited budget. Situ’s greatest challenge was to develop the design quickly enough that production and installation could begin even before all of the major details had being resolved. Designing flexibility into the structure gave Situ additional time to develop the project.

Maker Space was designed by Situ Studio and built by its sister company, Situ Fabrication. The teams worked fluidly between digital models and mock-ups from the very beginning of the project. Parametric models built in Grasshopper were quickly tested in full-scale mockups at all stages. The design embodies Situ’s practice as a whole: With a well-equipped fabrication shop adjacent to its offices, projects are frequently developed through iterative models, material studies, prototypes, and full-scale mock-ups. Design ideas are always tested through physical experimentation at the studio. Maker Space was no exception—at one point, a full-scale arch reached across the office and bolted into a pin-up wall covered in drawings and renderings of the construction. Watch a video of the final installation here: