Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Jersey K–12 District, PureTek Partner to Create Three New Education Spaces

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/10/24

Audiovisual solutions company PureTek Group recently partnered with Plainfield Public Schools in Plainfield, N.J., to create three new educational spaces for the district, according to a news release. The project involves upgrading the existing Plainfield High School auditorium into a performing arts center, a mini-theater into a blackbox theater, and two adjacent unused classrooms into an Esports Arena. The renovations will create new STEAM and CTE learning opportunities across the district.

The Esports Arena contains 20 gaming stations for players, as well as additional stations for broadcast operators, shoutcasters, and a replay operator. Spectators can watch from the school’s auditorium, and the blackbox theater also serves as a greenroom for teams not currently playing. Technology highlights include immersive lighting via criss-crossing, ceiling-mounted strips; integration with the performing arts center and blackbox theater; and broadcasting capabilities.

The Performing Arts Center (PAC) has a capacity for 1,600 and will play home to student performances. In addition to Esports Tournaments, it will also be used for rentals and community support programs. Technology highlights include the unRAVL Controls, which offer streamlined and intuitive control for rigging, AV, and lighting systems from a single touch panel. The PAC also has a large projection screen with a 30,000-lumen 4K laser projector, according to a project fact sheet.

The Blackbox Theater has a 120-seat capacity and will be used for arts education and performance spaces. It can also serve as the esports green room, as a professional education space, and a college-style lecture hall to prepare older students for university settings. The Blackbox Theater also uses the unRAVL System for rigging, audio, visual, and lighting solutions, the fact sheet reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

Digital Edition