Since October 2018, Baca is proud to work in a purpose built and design teaching environment that represent in aesthetic and spatial terms the way BACA sees education in the 21st century.
Working closely with the internationally acclaimed architect practice Superimpose, we devised the Baca City concept inside our new 1500 Sqm space. The main aspect of the concept was to first listen to the students and the teachers to design a space around specific needs. The resulting space is an open with as little separation between areas as possible, so that all course feel part of the same school and share ideas and friendship regardless of their class location. Other important considerations have been the classroom setup with ensuring that each student has a personal space and storage and that by leaving the space open, exhibition for their final projects can take place in the classrooms transformed into exhibition gallery for the final week of the course.
The most important addition to Baca’s site and student experience are the new purpose built technical facilities in which all students can work in during dedicated workshops under teacher supervision. The original brief for all technical studios was to bring best practice and a high professional standard including industry standard tools and equipment. We also want the students to learn to transform their ideas into tangible outcomes which are well made in a healthy and secure environment. We want students to explore and experiment with as many techniques as possible, from sewing to printing and from video editing to laser cutting.
The five technical studios are as follow:
Fashion Studio:
The fashion studio contains a mix of home sewing machines, for the student’s first experience with sewing and several professional industrial sewing machines, which can be used to stitch a wide array of garments that students might want to make. We intend to also provide a service with a machinist that can help student with more difficult technical sewing for their final projects. We have close links with industry and regularly get supply that can be recycled as sewing materials for students to experiment with.
3D studio:
From the most common tools required by designers such as power drills, hand saws, screw drivers, hack saws and pliers, glue gun, heat gun, clamps and vice to the more specialized tools pillar drill, laser cutter and 3D printers, the 3D studio has the best possible equipment from international brands. We also have a jewelry bench for student wishing to experiment with crafting jewelry from simple metals and soldering. the laser cutter and 3D printer will also enhance to learning by putting design into an actual object.
Print & Dye Studio:
Printing and dying is one of the most important part of our student exploration in media and surfaces. For this we have many available materials and equipment such as a printing press, a screen printing table and transfer print press. On the material side we have batik dyes, garment dyes, pigment dyes. Water and oil based printing inks. Processes in the printing studio include: relief printing, monotype print, collagraph, screen printing, dry point. The studio has a dedicated wash and dry room.
Fine art studio:
In this space, students are encouraged to explore materials and fine art techniques ranging from the traditional to the more experimental. Drawing and painting includes observational drawing, such as Life drawing, still life, etc. materials investigated in the practice include pencils, charcoal, inks, acrylic and oil paints. Sculpture processes include casting, sculpting clay and plaster. Material investigated range from plaster, alginate, clay, wax and latex.
Digital and Media studio
This studio contains Apple iMac computers each with a specific specialization: A digital editing suite to make short movies, Scanning station including an A3 high resolution scanner to scan artworks, a motion graphic suite for video effects, a green screen station for green screen capture. Finally, a purpose built rostrum capable of taking pictures of portfolios and artworks. We also have a digital fashion pattern cutting suite with dedicated pattern printer cutter. Student can use this space to create striking digital content and portfolios.
