University of Chicago – MADD

The University of Chicago’s new Media Arts, Data, and Design Center (MADD) is located in the John Crerar Library building on campus. The team was tasked with designing an innovative cross-disciplinary creation center resulting from a collaboration between UChicago Arts, the Physical Sciences and Humanities Divisions, the University Library, and the Computer Sciences Department.

MADD was envisioned to be an open maker and gaming space which would draw students and faculty from across the university to serve as a catalyst for creative collaboration. IDEA worked closely with staff from UChicago Arts and cross-departmental faculty to renovate the first floor former library study area into a flexible, open plan that includes computer science instructional labs; the Weston Family Game Lab, a space focused on research and development of games—whether digital, board, card, or alternate reality—that produce social impact or experiment with form; an expanded hack arts lab, featuring 3D printers, laser cutters, soldering stations, workbenches and micro-computing tools; and a virtual reality workshop. IDEA designed both the interior architecture and the furnishings.

Project Notes

Project schedule achieved programming, design and construction within 12 months.

Workshop based collaboration that utilized Revit models in real time for decision making with University stakeholders.

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