Sandbox

Wikipedia says: "A sandbox is a testing environment that isolates untested code changes and outright experimentation from the production environment or repository;" our Sandbox studio is no different, except it is a physical space.

The Sandbox is one of the studios where our researchers' creations can come to life - they prototype and experiment to create big ideas. With a little over 20 ft-high ceiling reaching well into the second story, this studio is one of the best spaces ICAT has to offer without being limited to the tight and busy schedule of the Cube. The Sandbox also serves as a place where we display projects that are finished and can be more long-term than the ones hosted in the Cube or in Perform. 

Almost half of the studio houses half of the cyclorama, a 40-ft diameter, and a 16-ft tall 180-degree curved projection screen where we map various immersive projections to help boost specific projects. In the past, the cyclorama was occasionally featured in the Cube with both halves present to create a 360-degree curved projector screen - many ICAT projects have benefitted from that arrangement. However, at the moment, we no longer plan on installing it in the Cube, just to de-install it after an event. It needed a place to remain on display and ready to be used for projects, and the Sandbox now serves that purpose.

Usually, on the second floor, outside the studio, large glass windows provide anyone walking by a chance to glance at what is ongoing within the studio. Being quite versatile, the Sandbox is also home to The Science and Art of Motion Lab Lab or SAM Lab.