Cal Poly San Luis Obispo CAED Shop

The College of Architecture and Environmental Design proposes to enrich the fabrication culture at Cal Poly by envisioning a new CAED Shop that combines 21st century fabrication technology with social spaces, design studios and testing labs; all in one collaborative working environment.

Five design goals the CAED has identified for the project include:

To create a Shop environment that facilitates the ‘Maker’ culture of the CAED; to design a new face for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design; to promote safe material flow into and out of the project; to provide faculty control over the shop with minimal staff; and to integrate the existing buildings and spaces into one unified shop.

This project replaces the existing 25,236 sf CAED shop with a new two level 48,796 sf open planned fabrication shop used for traditional and digital fabrication, and is placed over a level of renovated existing lab spaces. It seamlessly combines the existing labs with new shop spaces across three levels though the introduction of vertical circulation elements, transparency and openness. It will showcase the physical act of making, with its transparency, and ultimately facilitates the ‘maker’ culture of the CAED.

Once the newly renovated shop and support labs are completed at CalPoly, the ‘CAED Shop’ will become the new face and creative centerpiece for the CAED, inspiring the entire campus. It will be a center for testing the limits of materials, a place for writing new code to control 5-axis robotic 3D printing, a facility for CNC’ing components for an on-site full-scale mockup, an inquisitive environment promoting faculty - student collaboration, and most importantly, a flexible place for innovation. This new facility will give students a competitive edge and the inspiration to produce prize-winning work that keeps the CAED program high in rankings. It will also serve as a magnet for potential students visiting the school, students who tour the shop will be compelled to attend Cal Poly SLO.

By delivering an active mix of traditional shop spaces, state-of-the-art digital fabrication tools, design studios, lab spaces, and a Cal Poly “learn-by-doing” mentality under one roof in one centralized facility, the CAED Shop will be the best place for students to innovate, collaborate, and realize work; thus, extending the boundaries of possibility.