Chalmers Hall
Chalmers Hall, formerly known as the Art & Design Building, is home to Department of Design studios and faculty offices, and multidisciplinary labs, common areas, and exhibition spaces.
Anchored by a central student commons area (renovated in 2017 by KU design-build students), the third floor of Chalmers is a hub of activity for students in all ArcD programs. The area includes flexible collaborative spaces and lounge seating, a design supply and food shop, and exhibition spaces.
Studios and specialized labs offer Animation, Illustration, Industrial Design, Photography, and Visual Communication Design students 24-hour access to spacious work areas and a range of digital and analog tools. Multidisciplinary fabrication and technology labs allow students to make cross-disciplinary connections.
Studios & Labs
Design Program Studios
Department of Design students have 24-hour access to studio spaces optimized for their area of study. With studio spaces spatially organized around academic programs, a close-knit and supportive sense of community develops within the disciplines providing students a small design school experience within the larger university.
Animation Lab
The Animation program at KU prepares students to solve complex, dynamic, and diverse design and communication problems with moving images. Wacom Tablets are used by industry leaders in illustration, animation, and design. They are available for student use in multiple classrooms throughout the building.
Letterpress Lab
Chalmers Hall is home to a letterpress and book arts studio. Long-time lecturer Linda Samson Talleur teaches letterpress, book arts, and oversees the proper safety and maintenance of the presses, metal and wood type, and the polymer platemaker. The letterpress lab contains a variety of metal type, etched stamps, and wooden type that can be arranged on the Vandercook presses.
CNC Digital Fabrication Lab
Featuring a large-bed CNC router, the CNC Lab allows students and researchers to explore and advance computer aided design, fabrication, and applied material science. The CNC can drill, route, and cut solid wood, plywood, laminates, foam, MDF, Plexiglas, and many other materials. Capable of 2D cutting and 3D machining, the CNC can manufacture components for assembly, objects, and surfaces from digital models.
Labs & Maker Spaces
Photography Labs
Expansive facilities house everything from cutting-edge digital imaging labs to a traditional wet darkroom with 20 enlarging stations. A fully-equipped studio with cyclorama wall, rigging, and extensive lighting setups allow students to explore portraiture, fashion shoots, experimental techniques, and other projects at various scales. Video and still cameras, sound equipment, and lighting sets are available for studio use and checkout.
Print & Finishing Lab
Marvin Studios (more commonly referred to as “The Mud Hut”) is home to studios, presentation space, and advanced digital fabrication labs. Students in both departments have opportunities to gain experience using advanced computer systems and automated tools to create 3D prototypes, manufacture products, and research innovative material applications.
RISO Lab
There is no mistaking the vibrant colors and crafted quality of a RISO print. The RISO machine, or Risograph, is an affordable, efficient, and environmentally low-impact tool for printing zines, books, posters, and other works on paper. Sometimes referred to as a digital screen printer, the RISO uses analog processes to translate digital designs to paper.
Design Computer Lab
Students in the School of Architecture & Design have 24/7 access to all computer labs throughout the building. Chalmers Hall has both Mac and PC labs. Computer labs are equipped with scanners for students to upload sketches and other analog media.
Commons & Galleries
Chalmers Cafe & Commons
The Chalmers Cafe & Commons is an adaptable space that provides tables and seating for students to take a break, eat, study, and meet. On one side of the space, a glass wall allows views into the adjacent gallery. On the other, a 65-foot wall made of pivoting panels can open to integrate the Cafe and a multidisciplinary flex space.
Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery
The Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery a 2,100-square-foot space located on the third floor of Chalmers Hall. The Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery serves as a teaching space and students from the departments, as well as from the university at large, are exposed to art by their peers, visiting and regional artists, and faculty members.
Corridor Gallery
The Corridor Gallery is on the Chalmers Hall 200 level. Exhibitions feature work by local, national, and international artists working in documentary, commercial, and fine art photography.
Additional Exhibition Spaces
Chalmers Hall houses a number of spaces for students to showcase creative work and design projects. The walls surrounding the Chalmers Cafe and Edgar Heap of Birds Family Gallery gallery are lined with exhibition walls and cases. More exhibition walls and cases are located adjacent to design studio spaces throughout the building.
