Louer Facility Planning partnered with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to furnish the School of Engineering’s Grady Family Innovation Loft—a collaborative lab environment designed to support hands-on learning and student engagement.

The open space is centered around flexibility, featuring furniture that can be easily reconfigured to support a variety of project-based activities and group work. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Innovation Loft provides engineering students with a dynamic setting to work together, test ideas, and develop solutions.

Our team worked closely with university architects, the School of Engineering, and FGM Architects to ensure the space aligned with both the functional needs and long-term vision for the program. In addition to the open collaboration areas, the project includes faculty and staff offices as well as a large conference room designed to support both student and faculty use.

Furniture and finish selections were carefully coordinated to complement the architectural design while reinforcing the university’s brand. Durable materials and upholstery were selected to support the high-use demands of an active learning environment.

All furnishings were provided through the IPHEC cooperative purchasing contract, ensuring compliance with university procurement requirements while delivering a cohesive and well-planned solution.

The result is a flexible, engaging environment that supports collaboration, innovation, and recruitment—creating a space that works for current students while helping attract the next generation of engineers.