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NewSchool of Architecture & Design

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Campus Facilities

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Our Campus

NewSchool’s urban campus is designed to give students the professional tools they need to bring their creative ideas to life. Our 85,000 square foot campus features a large scale print shop, a materials lab with a state-of-the-art 3D printer, and a library dedicated to design and architecture publications. Whether you’re sketching in one of our many studio spaces, designing a rendering in our Mac or PC computer labs, or producing your design on our 3D printer – NewSchool has the tools you need to grow as a designer.

Our campus is located in the exciting East Village Design District in downtown San Diego. The area is buzzing with creative energy, inspiring architecture and innovative design studios and architecture firms. The campus is only blocks away from the beautiful San Diego Public Library which houses over 5 million books. With over 15 museums within a 1-mile radius and beautiful beaches to enjoy, our students have plenty of sources of inspiration.

Green By Design

Sustainability is a key value at NewSchool. Academically and operationally, we are committed to limit our collective impact on the earth and also take a leadership position in promoting sustainability practices to our students.

The goals of the Green By Design committee is to educate the NewSchool community on a wide array of sustainability issues and opportunities. We are committed to:

Recommending effective campus policies for sustainability
Identifying opportunities for sustainable initiatives
Work towards completing a sustainability audit for the campus
Promoting programs and services in the San Diego community that endorse sustainability consciousness

Reusable Bottles and Travel Mugs

NewSchool has many water and coffee stations located around campus. These stations provide a quick and convenient way to refill a reusable water bottle and/or coffee mug on the go. These stations are intended for students, faculty, and staff to bring reusable receptacles, so be sure to bring your reusable bottle with you when you’re on campus! Not only will you reduce your impact on the environment by limiting single-use bottles, you’ll also save money: Bottles of water from vending machines are $1.50.

Alternative Transportation

  • We encourage all members of the campus community to think about their environmental impact when commuting to and from campus, and to use alternative transportation whenever possible. Sustainable options include using the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), riding your bike, walking, or carpooling.
  • Biking is a very common way to commute to campus quickly and easily.

Waste Reduction & Recycling on Campus

  • There are recycling bins located throughout the campus and in every studio. Take an extra moment to be sure you’re sorting your waste correctly and you’ll be helping campus move toward its sustainability goals.
  • Utilize the recycling center in the Materials Lab to use for your projects. The Materials Lab stores scrap materials for students to re-use. This will help improve the environment and save you money on new supplies!
  • Limit your printing as much as possible. You can limit your printing by editing your projects digitally and making a conscious effort to only print your final projects.

Energy Efficiency

We’re helping to reduce energy consumption across campus, and you can help too by turning off equipment and lights when not in use and unplug electronics that aren’t being used.

Take a Class to Learn More

Several classes offered at NewSchool are centered around sustainability and healthy environments. Check the class schedule each quarter or meet with your Academic Advisor to learn about classes offered.

Events

The following links provide more information about sustainability programs and services in San Diego:

Materials Lab

Ideas take shape in our Materials Lab. The Materials Lab is a comprehensive 3,000-square-foot facility where students work with materials and machinery to create tangible representations of their ideas.

State of the Art Equipment: 3D Printing, CNC Routing, Woodworking and Metalworking

The Materials Lab offers students a unique opportunity to learn how to fabricate their designs and experience the production process first-hand. The Materials Lab is not just a model shop – it’s a place to research the feasibility of designs and develop problem-solving skills while exploring new materials.

The Materials Lab has state-of-the-art equipment for woodworking, metalworking, CNC routing, and 3D printing capabilities. The facility is staffed full-time by a trained Materials Lab Manager and a team of federal work-study staff.

Students have used the Materials Lab to:

  • Create scaled models of their designs
  • Fabricate a steel truss to see if it works as projected
  • Prototype a functional smartphone case design with our 3D printer
  • Build functional furniture
  • Produce tablet cases built out of Zebrano wood
  • Construct a thesis project that required the development of movable metallic joints and panels

 

Lab Area Safety Policies:

  • Never be in the lab without a staff member present.
  • Always wear appropriate safety protection for your activity, including safety glasses.
  • Do not work if you are tired or impaired.
  • Ask a staff person if you are uncertain how to operate a machine, select a material, or how to safely perform an operation.
  • Always clean up your work area when you are done.
  • Use all safety guards, and do not remove or disable any safety equipment.
  • Any project should be related to coursework only. Non-coursework projects are allowed by must be cleared with the staff first.
  • Only green-tagged tools are available for checkout.
  • Respect the decision of any staff person, they have the final say.

Open 7 Days a Week

The Materials Lab is open 7 days a week while school is in session.

Digital Facility

The digital facility in the Materials Lab includes two 4’ x 8’ industrial CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machines that utilize both lasers and high-speed milling technology to produce precision parts. Two smaller-format cabinet lasers cutters are also available for more intricate work. Students can also use an SLS 3D printer for the fabrication of highly complex 3D geometries that cannot be produced by traditional fabrication methods.

Digital Facility Safety Policies:

  • Never approach a digital tool when it is working and make certain it is complete before approaching.
  • Arrive on time for your appointments; being 10 minutes late forfeits your appointment.
  • Missed appointments will result in the inability to book another appointment for the remainder of the week.
  • Always clean up your work area.
  • Only used approved materials for the digital equipment.
  • Plan ahead — work will often take much longer than you expected, especially if it is your first time.
  • Ensure appropriate ventilation is on when using any tool.

Woodworking

Students have access to a wide range of professional working tools including a cabinet saw, band saws, drill press, compound plunge miter saw, panel saw, table router, fixed sanders, planer, and joiner, plus a full array of both power and manual hand tools.

Woodworking Safety Policies:

  • Do not wear loose-fitting clothing or headphones. Long hair must be tied back.
  • Do not cut wood with nails, metal, or other contaminants.
  • Leave all safety guards in place.
  • If something is not cutting properly, adjusting easily, or is awkward, ask a staff member for assistance.
  • Always clean up your work area when you are done.
  • Store material on appropriate shelves or racks only.
  • Put away any hand or power tools when you are finished using them.
  • Always turn on the dust collector before using any fixed tool.

Metalworking

This area is supplied with tools for all types of metalworking including a shear, break, roller, MIG welders, Oxy-Acetylene torch, drill press, vertical mill, and horizontal band saw as well as angle grinders, drills, clamps, etc.

Metalworking Safety Policies:

  • Wear proper safety equipment for welding, cutting, or any activity in metal.
  • Make sure to use safety screens when welding.
  • Turn off all gas bottles when you are done using them.
  • Always clean up your work area when you are done.
  • Put away any power tools, welders or cutters when you are done using them.
  • If a tool has coolant, make sure it is working when you are cutting.
  • Select the correct TPI of a blade for the material you are cutting.
  • Work only with mild steel or aluminum. Ask a staff member if you wish to use other metals.

Resources and Guide Books

Studio Spaces

NewSchool has a strong studio culture. This is where students work on their designs and collaborate with classmates. There are also weekly studio hours with faculty where students can receive one-on-one feedback on their designs and projects.

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