CATS MOBILE LIVING LAB
/ HUMAN STUDIO _ UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI - DAAP
The Cincinnati Arts and Technology Center (CATS) Mobile Living Lab is a pioneering initiative that aims to extend the transformative power of arts education and community engagement beyond the confines of a traditional classroom. Developed by HUMAN STUDIO in collaboration with CATS, this mobile lab is designed to be a versatile, fully accessible space that can traverse the Greater Cincinnati area, bringing educational opportunities directly to the community.
ABOUT CATS
“Part of CATS success is its partnership with local artists and art organizations. CATS was blessed to start the 2023 summer Art Education program featuring visiting artist, Ryan Newman, Innovative Director for LPK and Adjunct Professor for the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP (College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning) program introducing students to the topic of Design Thinking.”
CATS is one of the region’s unique non-profit organizations and programs ( now part of Best Point), harnessing the transformative potential of arts and other proven methodologies to uplift at-risk high school students. By empowering these students, CATS enhances individual lives and contributes significantly to breaking the cycle of poverty in Cincinnati.
https://bestpoint.org/best-point-cats-program-expanding/
UC, local nonprofit win in creative blitz
University of Cincinnati increases its urban impact through collaboration with local high school artists and national employers
”As part of this year’s E2C Creative Blitz, UC design students are helping our students reimagine the CATS learning environment,” says Sallas. “DAAP adjunct professor of planning Ryan Newman came in several months ago and created schematic drawings of our current space for our high schoolers to work with toward evaluating and reinventing the CATS space.”
https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2019/10/n20864076.html
Objective
The primary goal of the CATS Mobile Living Lab is to offer a flexible space that can adapt to various educational and community needs. Whether it’s an arts education session, an environment-behavior lab, a workshop, or a community meet-up, the lab is designed to be a hub of learning and co-creation. By facilitating location-specific programming, the lab ensures that the offerings are tailored to the unique needs and aspirations of the local community.
Focus Areas
The CATS Living Lab emphasizes:
Arts Education:
Harnessing the power of arts to foster creativity, critical thinking, and personal growth.
User Engagement:
Engaging directly with students and the community to ensure that the lab’s offerings resonate with their needs and aspirations.
Environmental Psychology:
Raising awareness about the profound impact of our physical surroundings on our well-being and behavior.
Design Research:
Collaboratively evaluating and redesigning spaces to better align with collective activity needs.
The overarching vision of the CATS Living Lab is to empower CATS graduates with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to become change-makers in their communities. By raising critical awareness about the built environment and offering tools to reimagine and redesign spaces, the lab aims to create a ripple effect of positive change.
The CATS Mobile Living Lab leverages the power of collaborative design and community engagement. As the initial prototype takes shape, the anticipation grows for the lab’s first deployment, promising a brighter, more inclusive future for the students and communities of Cincinnati.