SM turns over ‘makerspace’ to Miriam College

The SM group has donated a P100-million innovation center—the Philippines’ first-of-its-kind integrated “makerspace”—to Miriam College on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of this school that was built by Maryknoll nuns.

The Miriam College-Henry Sy Sr. Innovation Center was turned over Wednesday by the Henry Sy Sr. Foundation through SM Hotels and Convention Corp. president Betty Sy, an alumna of Maryknoll College (batch 1974). The innovation hub stands on a 1,412-square meter lot near the entrance of Miriam College campus in Quezon City.

“I have very good memories (of Maryknoll). It was a school that taught us to be ourselves, to be independent, to be fearless and conventional.  That’s what I value about Miriam College,” Sy told reporters at the sidelines of the turnover ceremonies Wednesday.

A “makerspace” is a place of innovation where a community of learners can gather to tinker, discover, create, collaborate and find solutions to various problems using the tools provided in its different work stations or laboratories.  This is where future industry leaders can transform ideas into tangible products or services that provide solutions to identified problems.

The hub is seen to immerse Miriam College’s students and faculty in 21st century disciplines under the acronym DREAM—design, robotics, engineering, entrepreneurship, arts and mathematics.

“It is here at the Miriam College- Henry Sy Sr. Innovation Center where we will follow a new model of teaching and learning, one that brings change and improvement to current school and classroom practices,” said Miriam College president Rosario Lapus.

The makerspace, designed by architect Ed Calma, features eight connected and creative learning spaces: a fabrication laboratory (fablab), a small-scale creative workshop with tools that aim to make “almost anything” using advanced digital manufacturing technology; instrumentation laboratory (instrulab) for conducting investigatory projects and experiments; engineering and electronics laboratory (E-L@b), for exploring robotics and coding; a multi-media laboratory (multi-media lab) dedicated to the creation of new media and art forms as well as learning of web authoring, software development, animation, graphic and web designing and digital audio/video manipulation; a performance laboratory for the interaction of art games and art production processes; a kitchen and cafe (CCA Makers’ Cafe), a modern gastronomic science and food art laboratory; a play loft with pocket classrooms that support design-oriented thinking; and, an innovatrium, a state-of-the-art theater.

Partner-institutions equipped the laboratories with the latest tools in innovation: Power Mac Center, Emerson Electric (Asia) Ltd., Felta Multi-Media Inc., C&E Publishing; Center for Culinary Arts Manila; British Council; Bato Balani Foundation and Bangkok University.