STEM centre = workshop, not school. Lobby as startup garage: OSB, pegboard, exposed pipes. Workbench-reception with 3D printer: bespoke badges at check-in. Project showcases + QR→GitHub. Colour-coded safety zones (R10). Wi-Fi 6 + IoT.
Industrial Aesthetic: Honest Materials
No gloss. OSB plywood, metal, exposed vent pipes. Concrete floor with glue and oil protection. Conscious 'unfinishedness': get dirty, fail, fix here.
Reclaimed wood + patina metal. LED lines as in factory floors. Wheeled furniture. Transparent containers: see contents without opening.
Project Exhibition: Lobby as Gallery
Walls = showcases: robotic arm, quadcopter, 3D-printed prosthetic hand. Newbie sees what's achievable. QR codes → GitHub repos. Open-source culture.
Video screen: 3D printing in real time. Project leaderboard by 'stars'. NFC tags: touch → get blueprints. Monthly exhibit rotation.
Safety and Infrastructure
Reception issues safety glasses and gloves. First aid station with pictograms. R10 floor. Instructions as comics. Colour coding: green/yellow/red.
Biometric-locked cabinets for dangerous tools. Extraction above soldering stations. Younger kids — sandbox zone with safe materials.