Saint Thomas Academy Innovation Center

We designed the Innovation Center to deliver exactly what Saint Thomas Academy desired: a dedicated space where students can stretch their capabilities and thought processes beyond textbooks, while getting their hands dirty. It's a safe environment for all students to ideate, design, build and test projects that directly impact their science and engineering learning experience.

The Client Direct Services project employed our unique design-build model, bringing together all stakeholders – the client, architect and builder – for meaningful collaboration resulting in the delivery of this state-of-the-art institutional space, on-time and within budget. The 2,876-square-foot Innovation Center has classroom space and a lab area that accommodates a wide variety of equipment, such as 3D printers, vinyl cutters, CNC three-axis mill, drill press, laser cutter/engraver and 3D scanner and measuring equipment. As part of the lab construction, dust collection and ventilation systems were installed.

The Innovation Center was our team’s 14th project for Saint Thomas Academy, including major projects, renovations and small projects. In 2014, we completed their student activities center, which was recognized with the Design Build Institute of American Upper Midwest Region (DBIA-UMR) Excellence Award in the educational facilities category.