Located within a 38-by-38-foot open-air concrete structure with ceilings reaching 17.5 feet, the BuildLab fosters experiential learning through hands-on design and fabrication. Since its groundbreaking in June 2016, the space has been actively used by students. Although the official dedication took place in March 2018, students have continually contributed to the completion of its interior and exterior finishes as part of the curriculum.
The design/build studio emphasizes the development of adaptable prototypes that address real-world needs. Student-led projects have included a mobile café and organic kitchen, sanitary facilities for migrant farm workers, an eco-tent prototype for Everglades National Park, a mobile orchid propagation lab created in partnership with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and a coffee kiosk for the School of Architecture campus.
Sustainability is a core principle of the program. Students are encouraged to work with renewable, salvaged and recycled materials, designing and constructing functional solutions that demonstrate both environmental responsibility and architectural integrity.
As a cornerstone of the School’s “learning through making” pedagogy, the design/build program cultivates essential skills by immersing students in the physical realities of architectural practice. The BuildLab experience complements traditional studio education and expands students’ ability to think critically, act resourcefully and build responsibly.
The BuildLab is made possible through the generosity of several donors to the BuildLab program and through the naming gift by UM Alum Bob Miller, Chairman of First Florida Construction. Mr. Miller has most recently joined the Board of the School of Architecture Construction Management program to continue to help students build a bridge between design and construction.
You can learn more about the BuildLab in this UM News Special Report (https://learning.miami.edu/03-buildlab/index.html).
You can learn more about the BuildLab in this UM News Special Report.
Design Build Projects
- Motes Orchid Pavilion, Redland, FL 2009, Adamson/Ceo
- Mobile Organic Permakitchen, Dade County, FL 2011, Adamson/Ceo
- Everglades Eco-Tent Prototype, Flamingo, Monroe County, FL 2012,Ceo/Adamson
- Verde Farm Rural Sanitary Facitlity, Guara Ki, Homestead, FL 2013, Adamson/Ceo
- Billy Goat Coffee Kiosk, University of Miami School of Architecture, Coral Gables, FL, 2014, Ceo/Adamson
- Fairchild Mobile Orchid Propagation Lab: StemLab, Coral Gables, FL, 2015, Adamson/Matheson/Ceo
- Mobile Chicken Coop, Empower Farms, Homestead, FL, Fall 2016, Adamson/Ceo
- B. E. & W.R. Miller BuildLab Skin, Coral Gables, FL 2017, TBD, Ceo/Adamson
- Fairchild Shade House prototype, Coral Gables, FL, 2017, Adamson/Ceo
- The Kampong, Coral Gables, FL, 2019, Adamson/Ceo
