Queens Award

Case Study

Northfield Mount Herman School Laboratories


The Gilder Center at Northfield Mount Herman School, located in Massachusetts, USA, was designed by Flansburgh Architects to foster a Silicon Valley-like learning environment.

S+B UK, in collaboration with S+B USA, played an integral part in furnishing 10 school laboratories, 1 fab shop, and 5 preparation rooms/minilabs, thereby enhancing the center’s capacity to promote collaboration and creativity among students and faculty.

The main objective was to provide furniture that would adapt to the ever-changing educational needs of NMH students. This goal was achieved through versatile and adaptable furniture solutions. We supplied a range of furniture, including mobile student workstations, SpaceSaver teaching walls, and 7 fume cupboards.

These furniture solutions were carefully selected to maximize flexibility, encourage interaction, and stimulate creativity within the learning environments. The mobile student workstations allowed for easy reconfiguration, facilitating both individual and collaborative work.

The SpaceSaver teaching walls served as multifunctional units, offering storage, display areas, and integrated technology capabilities. The recirculatory Mobiline and ducted Ecoline fume cupboards provided a safe and efficient solution for science labs environments.

With its flexible design and adaptable furniture, the center enables seamless collaboration across academic disciplines.

Photographs: Robert Benson