ALLEN ISD STEAM CENTER

• Location: Allen, Texas

• Architect: VLK Architects

• Size: 111,000 SF

• Photographer: Chad Davis, AIA

• Award: IES-Dallas Illumination Award for Interior Lighting Design

LuM Lighting Design worked with Fort Worth based architect, VLK Architects, on the premier STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Math) Center in the North Texas area. The two-story arc shaped building was designed with separate high school STEAM and K-8 designated entries with the intention to promote curiosity, cultivate skills and prepare students for success in STEAM-related learning. The center offers specialized spaces such as engineering and robotics labs, digital media labs, science and physics labs, math classrooms, and studios for the architecture and interior design programs in addition to a 250-seat Sci-Max theatre for large group educational programs, an Exploratorium that features an OmniGlobe Spherical Display system. Collaboration spaces, common areas, and huddle rooms are situated throughout the facility to provide a range of places for groups to collaborate on projects. Throughout the center, visibility and transparency across disciplines creates an open co-creative atmosphere that provides younger students a window to the advanced upper classes. The design also integrates a rich outdoor setting with a pond, nature trails and outdoor learning spaces to be used by all grade levels.