What is designLab?
designLab is St. Luke’s 3,500-square-foot makerspace—and a whole lot more. It’s where you become a problem-solver, innovator, collaborator, and builder. Grounded in the design thinking process—empathy, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration—designLab gives you the space and tools to bring real-world solutions to life with creativity and purpose.
How It Works
In designLab, you’ll engage in hands-on projects that are interdisciplinary, iterative, and built for impact. Whether you’re working in a class, collaborating across subjects, or diving into an independent idea, designLab is where learning gets tangible.
You might use the space during:
- Courses in Emerging Technologies or Computer Science & Engineering
- Integrated projects in math, world languages, humanities, or entrepreneurship
- Passion projects or exploratory work on your own time
Outfitted with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, and a full woodshop, designLab helps you solve problems from the ground up—designing, building, and refining every step of the way.
From Ideas to Impact
In designLab, you’ll turn empathy and imagination into action. Here are just a few examples of what students like you have recently built:
Combat Robotics Team (Upper School)
Students built a dual-bot named StormSurge and took down college competitors at a regional tournament. The project demanded engineering precision, strategy, and resilience—hallmarks of real-world tech innovation.
Young Entrepreneurs (Middle School)
Sixth graders formed product teams, used 3D printers and laser cutters to create merchandise, and raised over $2,000 for nonprofit causes. It was a crash course in design, iteration, and mission-driven business.
Francophone Jukebox (Middle School)
7th and 8th graders created a functional jukebox using Raspberry Pi, a 1930s radio shell, and original student-curated album art. The project blended language, tech, and design—and now occasionally plays in the school commons.
Prosthetic Hand Project (Upper School)
Anatomy students wore 3D-printed prosthetics, identified real-world user challenges, and redesigned the hands for added comfort, grip, or even superhuman functionality.
Adaptive Devices for Seniors (Upper School)
Partnering with a local senior living facility, students in Engineering with Electronics created tools to improve daily life for residents—like a fall-detection alarm and a motorized closet assistant. Their designs combined Arduino programming, fabrication, and real-world feedback.
Egyptian Mini Museum (Grade 9)
Students built replicas of Egyptian artifacts and museum architecture using designLab tools. QR codes linked their work to museum collections—merging physical builds and digital storytelling.
Summer Institute for Ukrainian Refugees (All School)
Students and faculty hosted a weeklong summer camp on campus. designLab led drone races, building challenges, and joyful, hands-on learning for refugee children.
Parfumerie Pop-Up Booth (Middle School)
As part of World Language Week, students created a custom fragrance testing booth—combining chemistry, culture, and design thinking in a sensory experience.
Memorial Projects for Declamations (Grade 8)
Eighth graders designed physical memorials connected to their Declamations presentations—turning abstract ideas into powerful, tangible tributes.
Why It Matters
designLab empowers you to take risks, revise your thinking, and discover the confidence that comes from making. Whether you’re building a robot, prototyping a prosthetic, or creating something joyful and useful for others, you’ll learn that you can improve the world—and you don’t have to wait to start.