New Furnishings Promote Interaction and Agility in Thought-Centric Space
The Innovation Hub is a creative space for University of Oklahoma students, faculty and staff. It provides unique access to technologies, equipment, training, interdisciplinary collaboration, mentoring, and inspiration.
The Innovation Hub was envisioned and planned as a cutting-edge facility with multiple zones such as the hands-on digital fabrication lab; the data visualization zone; and the customizable collaboration zone.
“Ultimate flexibility was a key driver in the hub’s design,” said Erin Wolfe, Executive Director, Office of Strategic Initiatives at the university. “We wanted full capability to move things around as needed and even change the zones within one to four years as guided by innovation. Nothing could be hard wired and almost everything would be on casters so that the pieces could work anywhere in the space. And we also needed power everywhere.”
“Without a doubt, the critical objective was to choose products that could adapt to the intended fluid nature of this thought-centric space,” explained Toni Bragg, AIA, Director, The McKinney Partnership Architects.
Toni BraggThe linking of KI products with the simple architectural palette and use of some striking lighting components melds spaces that are soft in definition - in terms of boundaries - into a space that promotes user interaction.
Innovative, welcoming, and highly flexible, the hub features an appealing aesthetic and interactive elements that draw students into the space, 24/7.
“We created a flexible space to accommodate changing user populations and activities over time,” according to Hillary Fulton, University of Oklahoma A&E Services.
Wolfe agreed. “Students are using the Innovation Hub exactly how we hoped they would, in an agile manner. The space has proven to be so flexible that it has already been successfully reconfigured in less than one year to create a new software space.”
Fulton adds, “The durability that stands up to student use and the integrated technology—power specifically—have been particularly beneficial for this space.”
