Facilities
We have two computer labs, three installation labs, the finest printing, binding and papermaking studios in the nation, an electronics lab, darkroom, laser cutter, audio lab, and a black-box venue for staging work, lectures, events, exhibits, screenings, photo shoots and performance. The department has its own equipment center where students check out an extensive array of items including laptops, video cameras, sound recorders, and projectors. Additionally, we provide studios for all of our MFA students.Audio Lab
Designed for flexibility and exploring multi-channel audio installation, our audio lab has a wealth of resources including several M-Audio and MOTU audio interfaces, numerous active monitors, parabolic speakers, and midi keyboard controllers.
Bookbinding Studio
The bookbinding studio is equipped with standing, nipping, finishing and backing presses, Kutrimmers, a guillotine, board shears, lying presses, drill presses, a perforator and foil stamper.
Computer Labs
We have two computer labs, one at the 916 S. Wabash Building, and another at the 1104 S. Wabash Building which are outfitted with Mac towers, 8.5x11 and 11x17 scanners, professional video capture decks, wacom tablets, surround sound, audio interfaces, color and b/w printers.
CBPA Gallery
The Center for Book & Paper Arts has a 2000 square foot gallery that is used for exhibitions throughout the year. Additionally, the annual MFA thesis show is held in this space.
Darkroom
The Darkroom at the Center for Book & Paper arts features state of the art Polymer and alternative photo platemaking exposure units.
Electronics Lab
The electronics lab is designed to support students working with physical computing in the context of installation and performance. The lab is outfitted with arduino microcontrollers, components and tools for circuit prototyping especially alternative input sensors, and surveillance cameras for exploring computer vision.
Equipment Center
The department has its own equipment center where, once authorized for use, students may check out an extensive array of items including laptops, Digital SLR cameras, HD video cameras, microphones, sound recorders, lighting kits, and data projectors.
Gathering Area
The department's gathering area at the front of the 916 S. Wabash building is a sunny, relaxed space where students can meet.
Installation Labs
The department has three dedicated installation laboratories in the 916 S. Wabash building. Each of these impressively flexible rooms have plywood-behind drywall walls, numerous power outlets and network connections along the ceiling and floor, and unistrut grid.
Letterpress Studio
Equipped with Vandercook presses and two Kelsey platen presses, our excellent letterpress printing facilities also house a Shniedewend Washington-style hand press, American French Tool Ecthing Press and a Heidelberg Windmill. We maintain a growing collection of wood and metal type. Currently we have approximately 400 cases of metal type and 130 cases of woodtype, as well as 20 cases of 19th century woodtype.
MFA Studios
The MFA Studios at the 1104 S. Wabash building.
Offset Printing Studio
The Center owns a Heidelberg GTO; each year, two graduate offset fellows have the opportunity to apprentice in this studio.
Papermaking Studio
Sun-lit paper studios feature several pulp beaters, including a 1lb Valley and 7lb Reina. Drying systems include a Large Restraint drying system, heat press dryers and Perry Dryer. The studio also maintains a Reina 50-ton hydraulic press.
Raw Space Black-Box Venue
The Raw Space Black-Box venue is a 2000 square-foot multi-function lab for staging work, lectures, events, exhibits, screenings, photo shoots and performance. The space has twelve 2.4K dimmers, four 2.4k cyberpaks, a 2x24 leprecon lighting board, LANbox DMX controller which can be controlled by Isadora or MaxMSP, dozens of stage lighting instruments, and network access throughout. Additionally, the department has a sound reinforcement cart with a Mackie 14x2 mixer and four QSC speakers appropriate for indoor or outdoor performance.
