empower the next generation

Briefing

We are looking for a new interior design for MakerKids (www.makerkids.com), which runs programs, camps and parties for kids on Coding, Robotics and Minecraft. We use these as a medium to help kids build confidence, social skills, changemaking abilities, and a positive relationship with technology. Kids have started businesses, been featured on TV, etc. We want it to be welcoming, exciting, cutting-edge, innovative, and a great learning environment that differentiates us from competitors. This may act as a format for future locations. We want families and kids to experience a WOW effect when they walk in - a cool place where they want to hang out. We want it to be a space that is unlike what kids have experienced elsewhere. Not like school. We want the kids to have a whole different mindset when they enter here.

Please send us your submission ASAP.

There are two classrooms, a lobby, and a staff office. Also two bathrooms, and a kitchen. Check out our Google listing for a 3D tour: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/MakerKids/@43.6491164,-79.4844928,11533a,13.1y/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipP_EmNMBusF2dK2_Jg114_QtvIhPiDbJCy280vs!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipP_EmNMBusF2dK2_Jg114_QtvIhPiDbJCy280vs%3Dw129-h106-k-no-pi0-ya282.70987-ro-0-fo100!7i10000!8i5000!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xc80bb25528eac1af!8m2!3d43.6491164!4d-79.4844928
We are not attached to anything here so feel free to make it your own! We'd like to fit as many kids as we comfortably can into each classroom so please design with that in mind. Note that we are no longer using tools like you see on the wall. We are mainly using laptops and robotics supplies (e.g. Arduino stuff). As part of the design we want to have good ergonomics for the kids, and also to have good cord management. Right now the cords are very messy! Looking for your suggestions on tables/layouts/electrical setup so that the cords are not all over the place. There are outlets all over the place as you can see from the 3D tour.

We want it to be an affordable design that we can implement on a budget, with a WOW effect!
We are in the midst of a re-brand and your design can be part of this. So feel free to use all your ideas and not be limited by our current design/brand. We will likely be keeping the logo the same.
Here is the potential rebrand we are considering going with: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wld4H4Px6nRBBavKIZPhfS1_gYMem9Hn/view?usp=sharing

Some designs that inspire us: Codeverse (www.codeverse.com and https://www.americaninno.com/chicago/go-inside-codeverses-hackable-classroom/), Code Ninjas (www.codeninjas.com), IDEO, 500 Startups, Stanford d.school, Brightworks Academy. Also Orangetheory Fitness, SoulCycle, etc.

Goal: MakerKids spaces are clean, well-organized, and supportive of a diversity of learning styles, while having a strong visual identity and fostering a sense of belonging among kids, parents, and staff.

Key Areas of Development:
Strong Visual Identity:
Important that parents and kids have a continuous and positive visual experience of the Maker Kids brand, from Website, to arrival, to classroom, to merchandise.
Sense of Belonging:
Kids and parents who “belong” in the Maker Kids community (i.e. have found their tribe) will sign up again and recommend friends
Instructor Empowerment:
Confident, empowered instructors make for confident, empowered kids and parents
Supportive of Diverse Learners
An environment that supports kids learning emotional self-regulation and tools for engagement and focus

Four targets:
1. Clean Spaces:
Clean spaces are integral to consistent visual identity.
Goals:
Limit the kinds of messes produced in the space
Support instructors with intuitive cleaning processes
2. Organized Spaces:
Organized spaces appear professional, provide calm and focus to kids, and empower instructors.
Goals:
Turn kids into stewards of the space
Create a calm, engaged space
Design a space that empowers instructors and makes them look effortless to kids and parents
3. Controllable Environment:
Flexible spaces meet the needs of specific groups more flexibly.
Goals:
Empower instructors with activity and behavior management
Help overstimulated kids feel calm and directed
Give instructors tools to provide support in place of discipline
4. Approach and Exit:
Key to provide a fun experience of entry and exit for kids and parents
Goals:
Opportunity to give parents a sense of belonging
Simplify and clarify sign-in and out process for secondary instructors

We are looking for there to be a 'chill out' corner.

Check out these attachments for ideas
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0VlIUp0UZN7UmUwTE1tSzVnWUREaGViUnN6ckhaTklzWFVV/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0VlIUp0UZN7dlBFY0NRbUpGbEVGR1duV2NYZVFOME1yQlBZ/view?usp=sharing
We want to avoid heavy hierarchical authority and give options for group work and individual work. (kids who may prefer/need to be working on their own. Extroverts who can collaborate at places with others. ) So that would mean teachers desk at the back, setting up space in a non-linear/non-row way is likely preferable with pieces that can be moved or be modular.

Target audience: parents (mother is key decision maker), highly educated (university level) and high-achieving, interested in setting their child up for success and giving them an edge. Signs them up for other awesome programs too.
They want their child to build confidence and meet friends. They want them to have exposure to STEM (Studies show that kids decide whether or not they will consider a career in STEM between ages 7-12).
Values: positive environment, health and safety, sense of belonging, well-being, program content, inclusion and engagement, and program delivery.

I am open to your ideas and decisions.
Some colours we have used in the past: Blue, red, white, yellow
You can use this as inspiration https://drive.google.com/file/d/181YP0SoZl6WC_viKtjAiVrcy5TlAqQ0i/view?usp=sharing
And the window design I have shared here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1igJKIha0-3IXghaBt6HAtJcV_oqLv3ku/view?usp=sharing

Values to communicate with design: safe, authority, original (we were the 1st business started like this, we created this category and are the market leader), better than competition, provides learning to child, cutting edge / innovative, kids make friends

Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Steve Jobs all went to technology programs

Parents want to give their kid the best prep for the future that they can. We are about more than just teaching the actual tech - we help kids develop a positive relationship with tech. Develops the whole child. Helps the child understand the human element of computing.

Avoid: Pink, purple. We want gender neutral colours

This should be easy to implement, and ideally use things that can be purchased for many years to come (e.g. the supplier won't stop carrying them, or they make them custom on a continual basis). We are also open to getting things custom-made if needed and would love to hear about specific resources for that.

We want to make sure that there is space for the kids to eat lunch, whether that is at their tables (with a way to put the computers away easily) or in another area. We also want to be sure there is room to play circle games.
We use a whiteboard to teach and want all kids to have a good view of the whiteboard.
We want storage space for the laptops and robotics supplies.
Kids should be in groups of 8.
We want the office to have desks for at least 5 staff, ideally. The office may at one point be converted into a classroom or part of the classroom beside it

Ceiling is just under 8ft.
Lower bits (basically wherever there's a vent indicated on the floor plan) is just under 7ft.

Feel free to suggest a laptop colour.

Resources