Spaces to Know: Interactive Media Arts
As one of the most creative and popular majors at NYU Shanghai, Interactive Media Arts (IMA) has expansive spaces spread across both the third and fourth floors of the Qiantan campus.
Located on the third and fourth floors in the North Building, the airy, well-lit IMA studios offer large open workspaces suitable for creative and technical work. High workstations, chairs, and an ample amount of power strips hanging from the ceiling allow students to work on their projects and collaborate with each other. The studios are full of tools and machines to power your creativity and more tools, cameras and gadgets like VR glasses can be found in the Equipment Room (N306). IMA major Wu Haonan ’24 said the studios are full of memories of the time he spent there with his classmates. “I can see my friends working on projects, whether it be Capstone, Interactive Fashion, or Digital Sculpting for Facial Animation,” he said. “It’s kind of a safe space and a creative space with wonderful people.”
Soft Lab inside IMA Studio 2, North 406
Inside the IMA studio, the Soft Lab offers the space and technology to transform materials such as textiles and plastics into fashion pieces or artworks. A variety of machines are available to help you make wearables, including sewing machines and even an embroidery machine that can convert your computer graphic designs into beautiful embroidery art. Students can experiment with the five advanced 3D printers and laser cutters too. Scan the QR code and instructions on how to use the 3D printers are at their fingertips. Students of any major (not just IMA) are welcome in the lab to try their hand at the 3D printers, said Associate Arts Professor of Arts Marcela Godoy. “Making something for a friend or for yourself is a great way to practice and master the use of these machines,” she said. You can use materials available in the lab if you’re working on an IMA project, but if it’s a personal project, make sure to bring your own materials and get the necessary training.
Fab Lab North 404
The Fabrication Lab, or Fab Lab, is Assistant Arts Professor of IMA Andy Garcia’s favorite spot to hang out with students on campus. “I love it because it’s where ideas come to life,” he said. The lab features a variety of machines, including 3D printers, laser cutters, and Computerized Numerical Control machines, which are used for automating the control and movement through the use of preprogrammed computer software. There’s also a 4 axis 3D Milling Machine to carve wood and plastic, a machine to make PCB prototypes (electronic boards), and a vinyl cutter to cut paper or stickers.
Looking to personalize your graduation cap and gowns? You can realize your commencement dreams – use these machines to create personalized fobs and decorations. Because some of these machines are more dangerous, they require special training before you can use them and you’ll have to reserve the space ahead of time.
Woodshop North 403
The Woodshop is dedicated to working with wood materials and features saws, drills, planers, and sanders. Students can make things with wood, such as toys, furniture, or structures for larger projects. A CNC 3 Axis Milling machine is available that you can use to cut wood or boards made with recycled plastic to make objects designed using computer software.
Re-Makerspace N402
NYU Shanghai’s Re-Makerspace is dedicated to giving recycled materials a new life. Scrap Plastics, wood, or excess 3D printer material can be transformed and repurposed into anything from wallets, chairs, or a massage roller. Go check out the display of what students have created!!
Professor Godoy, who teaches her Re-Made in China course in the Re-Makerspace says it is her favorite place in IMA. “I always work here,” she said. “I like to be available for students and closer to them. So I’m always around the labs and the studios.” This space also houses the Natural Materials Studio, a research project on making sustainable materials out of natural resources and creating a material library that will be available for the entire community. Next year, she and Associate Arts Professor of Visual Arts Monika Lin will teach a course there about how students can create their own sustainable materials and make projects with them.
IMA Studio 1: Lounge Space and Gallery North 306
And if you want a blast from the past, check out the old-school arcade game machine in the lounge space, where you can play between classes. “It’s a casual place very close to IMA,” said Clinical Instructor of IMA Zhang Xingchen. “I spend a lot of time there in the sunshine with our students, [enjoying] drinks and games.”
Corridor 3rd and 4th Floor North
IMA projects sometimes spill out of the labs and into the corridors. Walk along the 3rd and 4th floor corridors to see some of IMA students’ work, both completed and in progress. Check out the hydroponic planting experiment being carried out by Professor Andy Garcia’s Urban Farming class by the windows, or peek in through the window on the Soft Lab, where mannequins with outfits in the works for NYU Shanghai’s annual Trash Fashion Show and projects from the Interactive Fashion course can be seen.
And more…
In addition to the creative labs above, there are two classrooms for theory-based classes on both floors of IMA spaces. A Research Studio for IMA fellows and an Emerging Media Studio for IMA faculty members are brand new spaces that are in development.
“Collaboration, openness, and creativity – these are what the new IMA spaces are about and what IMA is about,” said Professor Godoy.
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