If you have classes in Robert Frost you most certainly have heard and seen the recent renovations. Although they might not look like much now, they will bring many opportunities once they are finished.
The renovations consist of four new areas including an art gallery, a computer lab, the honors suite and a biology lab. The biology lab has already been completed, while the other renovations are still underway.
Many students do fully understand the opportunities that are to become available with these new additions. Dr. Steven Johnson talked about what the renovations will offer and how they intend on incorporating them into the curriculum.
The computer lab is a spacious area meant for game design students and allows for real-world opportunities with client work. It has a large room with many high-end PC setups. These are familiar devices to all game design students. These setups will allow them to create whatever they like, and there will also be tables for any students who want to use their laptop instead.
There are rooms next to the main room which will be utilized by students for completing projects. One is a conference room where students can meet and talk with a client or work with one another. There are also three offices, one for the producer of the studio and two offices for the game design teachers so that they can be easily accessible for any students who may need assistance. The computer lab is making great progress and is expected to be finished by the end of September.
What was originally the McIninch Art Gallery will also be receiving an update. The new art gallery will open up opportunities for anyone with a focus on physical paintings and sculptures. Johnson spoke about how it has grown and said, “In short, the new expansion there gives us room for exhibit displays. It also breaks it up so we can possibly have two different exhibits going on at one time, so we can have more flexibility.” This will allow for more storage of different art and allows students more room for showcasing art as well as appreciating it.
The HVAC systems have also been upgraded and now can allow for climate controlled storage so more sculptures and paintings can be housed there. They are also planning to create a digital archive so that students’ work and other works may be appreciated from anywhere. The hope is that this will also increase the number of people viewing the art. The gallery is expected to be finished on October 9, and the first exhibit is expected to be available for showing on October 11.
The biology lab is fully completed and many useful additions have been acquired for experiments and lab activities. The lab area had been very small prior to the renovation and was not very practical. It now has more sinks and better countertops that can sustain different spills from any chemicals or other mishaps.
The honors suite has been moved from Stark to the more centrally used Robert Frost Hall.
Johnson hopes that these renovations are going to provide many excellent opportunities to anyone who wants to use them. Whether they choose to make use of the client interactions that give real-world experience or take advantage of the new art gallery to show off work, the new Robert Frost additions are bound to pique students’ interests.
