STEM education has transformed the typical teacher-centered classroom and encourages a collaborative curriculum focused on interdisciplinary problem solving. Smashing barriers and accommodating the various ways students learn is the hallmark of STEM. So, when tasked to design the new Math and Science Building at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California, we not only wanted to create engaging and flexible twenty-first century teaching and learning spaces, we were also determined to put these spaces on display.

In the new building, STEM activities that were once taught in isolation now overlap in ways where the lines between them are not easily identified. This connectedness considers more than just the building’s layout, but also how every space is designed so that students passing through can see fellow classmates experimenting, studying, or engaging in a class. Each space is multi-functional and provides opportunities for social engagement and mentorship. Areas along corridors throughout the building expand and contract to provide spatial variety and play host to small-scale study groups or retreat areas for casual socialization. Common “sticky spaces” keep students on campus and promote relationship building that will help them grow academically and socially. Golden West College’s Math and Science Building integrates all STEM disciplines cohesively, enables academic and interdisciplinary innovation, and inspires its students to reach new levels of success.

Watch the video below to learn more about the project from the designers who brought it to life.

Immerse yourself inside the project and explore on your own – even with a VR headset below!