Skip to main content

Creative Labs & Production

Facilities

Students in the Graphic & Web Design program work in multiple lab and studio environments designed to support design, digital production, and hands-on fabrication.

The program operates across two primary buildings on campus: McLain Hall and the Industrial Arts Building. Each provides specialized spaces for different aspects of the design process. Students use these spaces throughout the program as they develop portfolio projects alongside their cohort.

The Graphic & Web Design production bay, with the laser cutter along the left wall and the large-format printer at right

Design & Digital Media Labs

McLain Hall

McLain Hall houses core computer labs and media production spaces used by students throughout the Graphic & Web Design program.

Mac Design Labs

Two full computer classrooms equipped with Apple workstations and professional creative software used for:

  • Graphic design
  • Web design and development
  • Digital media production
  • UX/UI design
  • Portfolio development
An instructor walking a group through work on the interactive wall, with Apple workstations and a pen display in front
A Mac design lab during a Coffee with Creatives session, with visiting designers seated in front of the display wall
Students running a shoot in the video studio: one operating a camcorder on a tripod, a subject lit against the backdrop, green screen panel at left

McLain Hall

Video Production & Green Screen Studio

A dedicated space for video production and digital media projects where students can produce video content, motion graphics, media presentations, and visual storytelling projects.

The green screen studio allows students to experiment with compositing, background replacement, and creative video production techniques.

Fabrication & Creative Production

Industrial Arts Building

The Industrial Arts Building provides a collaborative lab environment focused on fabrication, prototyping, and presentation production.

This space allows students to move beyond digital work and explore the physical side of design including signage, branding materials, and product prototypes.

Interactive Collaboration Lab

A large collaborative workspace featuring a 14-foot T1V interactive touch display surrounded by Mac workstations. This environment supports group critique sessions, presentations, and collaborative design work.

Digital Fabrication

Students have access to a large CNC laser cutter and a small precision laser cutter for prototyping, building presentation materials, packaging, and branding prototypes.

Large Format Printing

A Roland large-format printer lets students produce posters, signage, exhibition graphics, and portfolio materials. It gets plenty of use during the annual Portfolio Show.

3D Printing

A multi-color large-scale 3D printer allows students to create prototypes and explore product and dimensional design concepts.

From Concept to Production

One of the strengths of the program's facilities is the ability to move through the full design process in one environment. This workflow mirrors real creative studios where design moves from concept to production.

  1. 1Develop ideas and digital designs in the computer labs
  2. 2Collaborate and present work using interactive displays
  3. 3Produce prototypes using fabrication tools
  4. 4Print exhibition materials and branding assets
  5. 5Present final work during the annual Portfolio Show
Five students gathered around the bed of the flatbed cutter while one of them works the controls

Creative Labs & Production Facilities

Apple workstations and a pen display in a McLain Hall Mac design lab

Mac design labs

The 14-foot T1V interactive wall running the student-built Portfolio Show site

T1V interactive display

A student working the CNC laser cutter beside a table of framed Portfolio Show prints

Laser cutter

Large format printing

3D printer

Students at paper-covered tables carving stamps for a relief printing exercise

Students working on projects

The fabrication bay set up for Portfolio Show photo day, with backdrop and lighting stands

Fabrication area

Students in NIC design shirts beside easels of mounted Portfolio Show work

Portfolio Show materials

See the Facilities in Person

The best way to experience the creative labs and production spaces is to visit the campus. Tour the Mac labs, fabrication area, and collaborative workspaces where students create their work.