The visit to the Nuvu studios gave a lot of insight that could not have been obtained simply through conversation. A few things stood out to be that I believe need attention.

1. There are bikes lines up along the front door into the space as well as in the back studio. This lets me know that many people are riding their bikes to the space but there is no adequate bike storage.

2. The sound levels in the space are to high from studio to studio. Although there shouldn't be a complete divide between the studios, it is hard to hear during peak studio times due to the noise traveling from one open space to another.

3. Desks and floors are cluttered with backpacks and supplies making it hard for students to spread out and do work.

4. Extension chords extend from the walls to tables and are a hazard to trip over.

5. Many students stand while doing work, but the tables are low causing them to hunch over to reach.

During the visit to NuVu Studio on Monday, I noticed a few things pertaining to the needs of the students that could be improved.

            First, there is a strong collaboration between computer work and physical modeling. Whether it is 3d printing or hand assembly, the kids are constantly going back and forth referencing their computers and making changes to prototypes. The shop is unfortunately not located as close to the studio as the kids would probably like it to be. It would be nice if there was a studio space within the shop or some manufacturing equipment within a closer proximity to the students to make for a more efficient working environment.

            NuVu currently has some nice natural light that enters the space. This is important because a lot of the work that the kids do as far as assembly and prototyping does require good lighting. It is important to maintain this level of natural light in the new space.

             Lastly, there were a couple of spaces that I thought would be beneficial to the studio that aren’t included in the current program. I noticed a few bikes in the studio that were not given their own storage space. It would be nice to include storage for perhaps 10-12 bikes in the new studio. There is also not a permanent space for a projector, which is important for demonstrations such as the one we were present for on Thursday of last week. A room for guest conferences seems appropriate seeing as how both times I was there I noticed parents or adults in a conference within the office space of the employees. I think there should be some type of more formal meeting room.

            NuVu offers a diverse and unique learning environment for the students however it has much more potential with a couple of adjustments and additions to the current layout. 

Central Square

Central Square in Cambridge is an area in motion. Walking from the subway station to NuVu Studio on Massachusetts Avenue contains colorful people outside colorful places. Besides the warmth of the weather, there is a bounce in the air. Tucked between a coffee shop and a movie theater sits NuVu Studio, an alternative education program and our main source of investigation for the semester. The notes below summarize a quick interview with Saeed Arida, NuVu’s CEO aka “Cheif Excitement Officer,” with more information to come after Monday’s observation hours:

Basic Information

• NuVu is 4-years-old, and the space is 3-years-old
• Space already over-crowded
• Alternative school where students take time off (3 months to 1 year) from typical school to work on studio projects
• Every studio lasts 2 weeks. Hours run 9am – 3pm
• 30-45 kids, currently 26 but more enroll in the winter. 70 kids were thought to fit in the space, but only 40 actually can
• Some students spend over 1 year there and consider it like home schooling. Right now, there is an issue of how to transition from the NuVu style education to collegiate education
• There is an interview process for interested students to see if the NuVu environment is right for them
• Students pay tuition to attend
• The CEO plans the studios
• Every 2 weeks, 3 studios are running at the same time, with 6-15 kids per studio

Current Space

• The “fish bowl” in the center of the studio divides open space into smaller studios
• Fish bowl typically unavailable for private conversation
• Feels like a design school, but explores food, film, photography, robotics instead of architecture
• The space is TOO NOISY because of all of the hard surfaces: drills, film, music, and music activities are hard to contain
• Moveable partition wall has worked out well
• Many parents tour NuVu studio during the day
• Laser cutting, 3D printing, and a wood shop available in the same room, but too crowded in the room (14’x30’ now)
• In the double height space, a mezzanine could be possible
• Students are almost always forced to work together in teams of 3 on average
• Students who don’t succeed have probably relied on traditional education too much and dependent on the teacher’s guidance
• Currently studios are for 8th-12th graders, but there is potential to open study up to younger students (tools are an issue)
• Most students go on to study similar area of interest to the studios (film, photography, art, etc.) or the Ivy League
• There was a studio on modular furniture, so an architect was brought in because architects think in systems
• Student instructors are selected carefully
• There is a mix of tech and non-tech projects
• There is a partnership with fashion week, so fashion studios are important and fabric gets laser cut
• The space is very flexible, but technology should have permanent space for convenience (sewing, food, recording equipment, etc.)
• Permanent program: wood shop, recording studio, green screen, kitchen, brainstorming, administration,
• A similar idea to the MIT Media Lab, but more group to group interaction
• Essentially, the NuVu studio is an architecture studio for EVERYTHING!

Needs of NuVu

• A theater and stage to present
• Better storage for temporary equipment (however, the more storage, the more equipment that will accumulate)
• Smart boards and mobile furniture
• A sewing machine room would be nice so that machines can stay out all of the time
• A much larger kitchen for gastronomy, the studio has considered overtaking the coffee shop downstairs
• Better organization in the shop, a second laser cutter, and a cnc machine
• Space to showcase finished work
• Four times the amount of space, at least
• Individual work stations