design education in a former cafe was the
geometry of space. Taking advantage of
the existing oval shape, the design team
defined different zones of activity, segregat-
ing a soft seating area from the project area
with moveable dividers for backpacks and
component storage and a surface for either
working or display. To answer the dual
challenge for active learning and teaching,
A/V screens were incorporated throughout
the space so professors can project presen-
tations but also offer space for students to
work together on their projects. Storage
space was incorporated for equipment and
tools that don’t break up space or block
views from the instructor.
Other design challenges included the
need to provide power to each of the tables,
so a pipe grid was introduced in the ceiling
to allow flexible power, A/V and lighting.
The grid also allowed objects to hang and
be studied from overhead. Providing a ded-
icated area for power tools of all types—
large, noisy and dust-generating—the cafe’s
former kitchen area was converted into
a secured space. Designers also took into
account the need for 3D printers and com-
puters for modeling, and created a special
zone to keep these machines away from the
more active making zone.
The classes provided in the Pod are part
of a new initiative designed to give all Duke
Engineering students project- and problem-based experiences right from the start,
and its connection to the Foundry offers
the chance to continue the discoveries and
projects beyond the Pod. Piloted with 50
students last fall and soon to be part of each
Duke Engineering student’s experience, the
class is among a trio of new courses launching this year that will give Duke Engineering
students early experience in data science,
computing and engineering design.
Lauren Rockart, AIA, LEED AP, is a Principal in Lord Aeck Sargent’s Chapel Hill office,
focusing on higher education projects. She
received her Master of Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design
and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture from Princeton University. Lauren is a
member of the American Institute of Architects
and the Society for College and University
Planning, as well as a LEED Accredited Professional. www.lordaecksargent.com
The classes provided in the Pod are part of a new initiative designed to give all Duke Engineering students
project- and problem-based experiences right from the start, and its connection to the Foundry offers the chance
to continue the discoveries and projects beyond the Pod. Image: © Tzu Chen Photography
Duke’s design and learning lab, known as “the Pod,” includes an overhead pipe grid to provide flexibility for power and lighting to student work tables,
moveable millwork for ample component, tool and student backpack storage and the integration of specialized exhaust for saws, laser cutters and other tools.
Image: © Tzu Chen Photography
