STEAM & MAKERSPACES
STEAM & MAKERSPACES
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education unlocks a world of inquiry and exploration, cultivating a vibrant learning environment where students tackle complex, real-world challenges. Designed to spark creativity and engagement, STEAM centers feature welcoming, easily accessible Makerspaces that support both technical and artistic activities, encouraging interaction and collaboration across grade levels.
A4E’s dedication to advancing STEAM education shines through our extensive experience in designing and constructing facilities that foster interdisciplinary learning. By focusing on creating dynamic spaces that inspire curiosity and innovation, A4E has successfully partnered with numerous school districts to develop cutting-edge STEAM centers, empowering students to thrive in their educational journeys.
RIO DEL SOL K-8 STEAM ACADEMY
Rio School District | Oxnard, CA
Rio Del Sol’s educational environment is thoughtfully designed to accommodate a diverse array of learning and teaching styles. During the planning phase, classrooms were reimagined as “Learning Labs,” and educators embraced the title of “Learning Guides.” Each teacher’s training manual empowers them to personalize their teaching spaces, fully leveraging the flexibility inherent in the design.
The innovative layout promotes collaboration and adaptability, featuring vestibules— affectionately referred to as “mudrooms”—equipped with shared sinks that encourage student interaction, facilitate hands-on demonstrations, and reinforce hygiene practices. Sliding doors that double as dry-erase surfaces make it easy for teachers to combine classrooms, fostering a seamless collaborative environment. With flexible furniture, mobile AV equipment, and writable magnetic surfaces on every wall, these spaces can transform throughout the day, evolving alongside the curriculum and inspiring students to select their preferred dynamic learning methods.
Types of S.T.E.A.M. Centers by Grade Level
Types of S.T.E.A.M. Centers by Grade Level
Types of S.T.E.A.M. Centers by Grade Level
Types of S.T.E.A.M. Centers by Grade Level
Centers by Grade Level
MY STUDENTS GIVE THEMSELVES PERMISSION TO RESEARCH, BUILD, DESIGN, CREATE, AND EXPERIMENT FREELY IN THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACES...THE
ENTIRE CAMPUS IS THEIR LEARNING PLAYGROUND.
-Camille
Izvarin M.S., 3rd Grade Learning Guide, Rio del Sol School
The learning environments encourage tinkering and lingering–allowing students to work on long-term projects in alignment with the campus curriculum. Facilitating the project-based learning activities are the makerspaces, connected directly to the classroom environment and encompassing both interior and exterior spaces..
RANCHO DEL PASO K-12
Gateway
Community Charters | Sacramento, CA
Since 2003, Gateway Community Charters has been dedicated to serving Sacramento area students, providing a challenging and inspiring educational program for those in need.
The Rancho Del Paso campus marks a significant milestone as GCC’s first newly constructed school, uniquely designed to unite K-12 students from three different campuses. This innovative facility harmonizes diverse student populations while celebrating their distinct identities.
The learning experience at Rancho Del Paso is further enriched by theme-based work centers that cluster around each classroom. Every space is thoughtfully designed to promote learning, using structural elements, building materials, and systems as integral components of the educational process. More than just a school, the Rancho Del Paso campus serves as a neighborhood beacon, highlighting the high-quality educational environment and programs offered by GCC. It has evolved into a vital Community Center in an area of Sacramento that had long been underserved by public and local agencies. The K-12 model at Rancho Del Paso exemplifies engaged, integrated learning, showcasing the powerful combination of effective programs and thoughtfully designed environments.
BUILDING FORM RELATES TO DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// KG TO HIGH SCHOOL
WINDOW SIZE INCREASES WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// SMALL PUNCHED OPENINGS TO CURTAINWALL
MATERIALITY & CONSTRUCTION TYPES CHANGE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// WARM TRANSFORMS TO INDUSTRIAL
COLOR THEORY BASED ON DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// BRIGHT TO DARK
CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION CENTER
Rialto Unified School District | Rialto, CA
In collaboration with our client’s community-based Career Technologies Planning Committee, A4E crafted a visionary Master Plan to transform a closed middle school campus into a modern Career Technical Education (CTE) Center. As we developed the detailed Master Plan, we also created educational specifications and prototypical layouts for the flagship programs: the Culinary Arts Academy and the Design/Engineering Academy. Our efforts were pivotal in helping Rialto USD secure an unprecedented two CTE grants from the State, marking a significant milestone for this landmark project.
The Design/Engineering Facility revitalized an existing 3,870-square-foot building, converting it into two expansive Teaching Labs and two Lecture Classrooms where students explore the principles of engineering, programming, and design. The renovation design features an open ceiling that showcases the stunning barrel-vaulted roof structure, while large coiling doors seamlessly connect the indoor spaces to adjacent patios. Additionally, we introduced vertical circulation to access a previously unused mezzanine, enhancing the overall learning experience and fostering an innovative educational environment.
All culinary equipment is professional-grade, informed by industry partners who consulted directly with our client and design team.
RIO SCHOOL DISTRICT OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS
Rio School District | Oxnard, CA
In close collaboration with Rio School District (RSD), A4E crafted a visionary Master Plan for a groundbreaking K-8 STEAM and Maker Space campus that truly embodies the district’s goals and aspirations. Through a series of interactive workshops with teachers, community members, and District staff, we established a unified theme and vision for the new campus that resonates with everyone involved.
A4E’s design incorporates an innovative Outdoor Classroom prototype that can be replicated across multiple campuses. These engaging spaces utilize natural materials and designs that don’t require DSA approval, featuring learning walls, experimental tables and sinks, golf courses, and various nature-inspired settings. The 21st-century classrooms are seamlessly connected by folding glazed doors that open to private patios and flexible Maker Spaces, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor learning. This design philosophy embraces the concept that students thrive in multi-dimensional environments, aligning perfectly with the school district’s progressive vision that genuine learning is spontaneous and cannot be confined to traditional boundaries.
CONCEPT DIAGRAM: THE DOTS
ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Lewis Center For Educational Research | Apple Valley, CA
The Lewis Center for Educational Research has taken a significant step forward by acquiring 150 acres of land at the entrance of Apple Valley, known as the Mojave Narrows. This purchase exemplifies our client’s unwavering commitment to enhancing educational excellence, following the successful planning and construction of the Academy for Academic Excellence (AAE).
This remarkable campus is not just an educational institution; it is also a sanctuary for 40 endangered and protected species of plants and animals. Students actively participate in an inspiring project to replenish the native Mohave Tui Chub fish. What began as a studentled initiative has blossomed into a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife, ensuring a continuous supply of these fish. This hands-on learning experience is just one of many opportunities promoted throughout the campus, supported by strategic site-based improvements that enrich the educational journey.
WILDOMAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM MODERNIZATION
Lake Elsinore Unified School District | Wildomar, CA
A4E is proud to have been chosen to design an expansion for Wildomar Elementary School, one of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District’s (LEUSD) most historically significant sites. This exciting project encompasses a new pre-engineered building with 10 classrooms and a state-of-the-art STEAM center built with conventional construction methods. From the outset, A4E’s approach prioritized the campus’s rich history, existing structures, and infrastructure, ensuring that the new facilities harmonize with the site’s unique characteristics.
Recognizing that Wildomar Elementary is home to the first schoolhouse in the Lake Elsinore area, A4E undertook comprehensive due diligence, surveying the campus to document current systems and utilities. We meticulously reviewed FEMA and geohazard maps, noting the campus’s proximity to a Fault Zone, and researched relevant easements and covenants. During the pre-design phase, A4E also assisted LEUSD in certifying two legacy projects completed in 2005, while incorporating DSA-required upgrades into the design of the new facilities. This collaborative effort ensures that the entire campus will be eligible for certification upon the successful completion of the expansion project.
MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL ZOO CREW CAREER TECHNICAL CENTER
El Monte Union High School District | El Monte, CA
The Mountain View High School Zoo Crew Career Technical Center (CTE) seamlessly blends nature and engineering to establish three vibrant “real world” zones focused on manufacturing, fabrication, and technology. This innovative space prepares students for a wide array of career opportunities while integrating essential core academic subjects.
The design of the new Zoo Crew facility fosters learning environments that inspire collaboration and exploration, drawing from the rich geographical and engineering elements of the local area. Guided by the Zoo Crew’s mission to cultivate problem solvers and environmental stewards, the design concept embodies the synergy between nature and engineering. Just as the East and West Forks converge to form the San Gabriel River, this space flows through various engineering zones—featuring dams, metro stations, highways, and an airfield—culminating at Mountain View High School. The river then transforms into an urban waterway, eventually meandering toward the ocean. This dynamic concept of “Engineering in Motion” is woven throughout the architectural design, creating an engaging and interactive learning experience for all students.
