Located in an indoor role-playing theme park in Florida, Motorola’s M-Lab playfully introduces children to technology careers and the Motorola brand. The 1,200-square-foot space mimics a submersible vehicle and uses an interactive video game to engage kids.
After entering through a glowing aluminum façade, children encounter several zones. For example, in Mission Control, kids don white lab coats and go on a mission to find and tag new fish species. Sights, sounds, and smells raise the energy level until their mission is accomplished. Raised rubber flooring, high-gloss metal walls and fixtures and video screen portholes contribute to the learning-laboratory feel.
Client: Motorola, New York
Design: Gensler, Santa Monica, Calif. — Russell Banks, creative director; Deanna Goodwin, design director; Banning Rowles and Michael White, senior designers; Michelle Wallace, production manager; Chris Florin, environmental graphic design technical director
Architect: The Madfis Group, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
General Contractor: MC2, Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.
Outside Design Consultants: ImaginEngine, Framingham, Mass. (game designer); MC2, Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. (audio/visual, lighting, technical assistance)
Photography: Adrian Wilson, New York