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Innovation Lab Patio: A Vision Brought to Life

The new patio extends the Innovation Lab (ILab) outdoors, giving students more room to design, prototype, test, and collaborate. Weekly ILab projects, Open Innovation during lunch, and the return of Robotics Lab help students take their ideas further.

Five students work together on a wheeled robot at a table on the Innovation Lab Patio.
A shared robotics project puts design and problem-solving skills to work on the new patio.
Three students use computers beneath the patio pergola, with the Living Canvas Wall beyond.
Curved seating offers another place to work, with the Living Canvas Wall just beyond the pergola.
The Innovation Lab opens onto the covered patio and curved outdoor seating.
The ILab opens directly onto covered outdoor workspace, connecting the classroom with the new patio.
The covered ILab patio, planted concrete wall, and Borao Family Living Canvas sign, with the colorful mural beyond.
The Borao Family Living Canvas adds a creative backdrop to the ILab’s outdoor learning space.

The completion of the Innovation Lab Patio is a powerful example of how philanthropy can expand what is possible for Berkeley Hall students. This new space extends the ILab outdoors and gives students more room to design, prototype, test, collaborate, and turn ideas into action. It is an investment in future-ready learning and in the skills students will need to navigate an increasingly technology-driven world.

This transformative project was made possible through the extraordinary generosity of our Berkeley Hall community. We are deeply grateful to The Ahmanson Foundation for their generous grant and commitment to enriching educational experiences for students. We are equally grateful to an Anonymous Berkeley Hall family, whose remarkable gift was inspired by a desire to create something their own children could enjoy while making a lasting investment in every student who will learn and grow at Berkeley Hall for years to come. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the Borao family, whose generous support helped bring the Living Canvas Wall to life, adding a beautiful, interactive, and inspiring element to the space.

Building Future-Ready Skills

Students visit the ILab each week to develop future-ready skills through increasingly complex projects. Across elementary grades, they explore 3D design and printing, materials science, circuitry, coding, game design, CAD, physics simulations, and algorithms. They learn to design, prototype, troubleshoot, and refine their ideas while building computational thinking and problem-solving skills. In Middle School, students deepen these skills through ILab electives, including 3D Design, Robotics, and Animation, taking on more advanced design, programming, engineering, and creative technology projects.

This year, the new space is already opening the door to expanded opportunities, including Open Innovation during lunch and the return of Robotics Lab. These programs give students more time and space to explore, create, and take their ideas further. What began as a vision is now a valuable resource that will shape how students learn, create, and imagine what comes next for years to come.

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