Innovation Hub and Two Penn State Alumni Featured by PSU News
The Penn State Innovation Hub in State College on South Burrowes Street houses the Happy Valley LaunchBox, an innovation accelerator, as well as makerspaces, a virtual reality technology laboratory, student club storage, a sixth-floor vista point event space, and collaboration areas. | ©KieranTimberalke
The new Penn State Innovation Hub in State College, opened in October 2021, supports the university's entrepreneurial and innovation work with 85,000 square feet of cutting-edge makerspaces, collaboration areas, and classrooms.
In a recent article, PSU News profiled two members of the design team, partner Jason E. Smith and principal Marilia Rodrigues, both alumni of the university.
“Penn State is steeped in a rich architectural history, which has traditionally been shaped by brick and stone. We want to honor that story and extend it with a contemporary approach that is both novel and memorable, inviting people to explore the legacy of the past while looking to the future,” Smith said.
Principal Marilia Rodrigues (left) and Partner Jason E. Smith pose for a photo in their safety gear. | ©Brian Reed/Penn State
“We wanted to bring the community into the space, and to have the activity and positive energy inside the building visible and accessible from the exterior,” said Rodrigues.
The building, designed to instill a feeling of opportunity, of collaborative making, engages with the streetscape with maker spaces that are visible to passers-by on the sidewalk.
Read the full article at Penn State News.
Explore the Penn State University Innovation Hub here.