By Tyler Christiansen
STEMIA Junior High Options
In our Architecture class, students took on a unique challenge—reimagining our school’s Makerspace as a completely different space based on student needs. Using SketchUp, a 3D CAD software, they redesigned the room into creative alternatives like a library, cafeteria, student lounge, and more. But before jumping into the design phase, students applied the design thinking process, starting with empathy.
To understand what the school truly needed, students built empathy-driven interview questions and surveyed their peers. These insights shaped their redesigns, ensuring their spaces weren’t just visually appealing but also functional and student-centered. Each project incorporated thoughtful layouts, furniture choices, and accessibility considerations to reflect the real-world design process.
This project showed students that architecture isn’t just about buildings—it’s about solving problems through design. By combining creativity with user-centered thinking, they created bold visions for how our school’s spaces could evolve to better serve the community.
STEMIA Journal 