Chapman Swenson Family Hall of Engineering
Innovative spaces + cutting-edge technology for a forward-thinking department
Understanding what drives the need for change
Chapman University needed to transform its vision for engineering education into physical reality. The university had allocated 31,000 square feet within the existing Keck Center for Science and Engineering to house the new Swenson Family Hall of Engineering, but the space required a complete interior transformation across three floors. The challenge extended beyond typical academic design—Chapman wanted to create an inclusive social hub where innovative thinking could flourish and ideas could cross-pollinate between faculty and students.
At the project's heart lay the Design/Create/Innovate Lab, a makerspace requiring flexible, adaptable design to support everything from quiet experimentation to large presentation events. The space needed to accommodate diverse functions across its three levels: a collaborative student area with an 'ideation path' on the first floor, labs and research pods on the second, and dedicated faculty workspaces on the third. Each floor demanded different solutions while maintaining cohesion throughout the entire facility.
How we brought the vision to life
Tangram partnered with architecture firm AC Martin to design environments that would reflect Chapman's forward-thinking engineering philosophy. The team recognized that traditional educational furniture wouldn't serve this innovative program, instead selecting pieces typically found in creative workspaces. The Steelcase Mackinac desk system became a centerpiece, establishing microzones within open areas while maintaining the residential-inspired aesthetic the university desired.
Every furniture selection carried intentional purpose, supporting the diverse ways people would use these spaces. Collaborative huddle areas featured Steelcase media:scape tables paired with Shortcut chairs and screen displays for seamless technology integration. Steelcase Brody workstations provided necessary privacy within social open areas, while Hightower Kilo lounge pieces offered comfortable respite between the intensity of classrooms and labs. The design strategy emphasized adaptability through modular elements and operable partitions that could transform spaces based on immediate needs.
26 solutions from 5 manufacturers
Gesture
Gesture redefines the relationship between you and your desk chair. Voted best office chair, its 360-degree arms, contoured back and adjustments are designed for all the ways technology shapes your posture.
Cubb Chair
Cubb’s singularity of form creates an elemental chair with a clear personality, delivering robust functionality for any environment. Its innovative contemporary aesthetic extends over seven design typologies, making it suitable for specification through multiple applications in both hospitality and office environments.
Verb Flip Top
Verb Flip-Top Table can be flipped, moved, stowed and rearranged simply, safely and intuitively, making transitions between modes of learning quick and seamless. Whiteboard storage and display integration encourage continuous collaboration and idea-sharing among students and educators.
Node
Node school chairs are highly mobile —a quality that translates directly into classroom performance. After all, a lesson plan can be carried out more effectively when seating is arranged and rearranged effortlessly.
Season Mini
An extension to the successful Season bench, now with separate, small puffs whose concealed wheels and handle built into the upholstery make them highly practical. Versatile and smart because they can combine a range of fabrics and leathers with their different-coloured handles. Perfect example of soft furniture piece for offices, restaurants, reception areas, etc.
Campfire Personal Table
Work anywhere with Turnstone's mobile Campfire Personal Table. With a work surface large enough for your laptop, this modern table works as hard as you do.
2 professionals brought this vision to life
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