Proposal

Narrative

The School of Architecture's MetroLAB on the FAU Downtown Fort Lauderdale Campus serves students across all campuses at Florida Atlantic University. Located at 111 East Las Olas Boulevard, the recently renovated MetroLAB has become the premiere space to hold various activities, events and academic functions related to student learning and community outreach. Beyond daily academic use by the School of Architecture, the space has hosted several exhibitions, community workshops, film events and lecture series. These activities are crucial to students among architecture, planning, science, engineering, and visual arts who have begun collaborated in interdisciplinary ways. The upgraded technologies would offer enhanced visual, communication, and audio capabilities to bring the space up to par with peer institutions and facilities on other FAU campuses. MetroLAB is located at the geographic center of the metropolitan region with a population of approximately six million, and the space is the “storefront” of the FAU brand in Fort Lauderdale and is the main place where students across various colleges and campuses would be directly impacted when attending activities on the downtown campus. As the community engagement "storefront" for the design disciplines within the Broward Campuses MetroLAB hosts prominent lectures, workshops, discussions, and exhibitions. Utilized heavily by the School of Architecture the space sees a diversity of uses daily where students learning opportunities are enhanced. The space has become well utilized by the College for Design and Social Inquiry, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and several other colleges across the university. Whether an art exhibition, public presentation, forum, or art installation the upgraded technologies will directly serve our students and be a showcase for the entire university in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Facilities

Renovations and upgrades would be limited to installation of new equipment and is considered to be minimal.

Hardware Requirements

All hardware that is contained within this Tech Fee Proposal has been provided directly from OIT and has been cross checked by OIT and College staff that are directly responsible for the maintenance and operation of MetroLAB.

Software Requirements

There are no software requirements.

Personnel Costs

There are no personnel costs.

Other Costs

Beyond initial purchase costs for audio and visual equipment, other costs related to contractor supplies and labor will be required and have been included in the total costs.

Timeline

We would like to complete the renovations as soon as the tech fee is approved and equipment purchases made. Timeline would be dependent on required approvals and availability of contracting firms.

Sustainability

The sustainability of the project would have far reaching consequences since the proposal is about replacing outdated equipment that is currently creating limited functioning within the space. MetroLAB would be greatly enhanced and serve within a higher capacity for years should the proposal be successful. We are having a number of university-wide programs and colleges wanting to use the space in particular ways and the enhancements would ensure the space is even more utilized.

Resource Matching

Not applicable

Implementing Organization

The School of Architecture, Broward Campuses and OIT would be implementing the project.