By: Kakeru Hirofuji '27
As students bid adieu to summer, their emotions ranging from despair to delight, the Cate campus slowly came back to life. Amid the bustle of "move-in day," a major source of joy stood out: the newly built CoLab, or Inquiry Collaborative, situated beside the Savage dorm, overlooking the steady stream of cars climbing Heartbreak Hill.
Considering the long anticipation of the opening of this building–its construction lasting well over a year—this is tremendously exciting for the Cate community. In fact, Ryan Chen ‘27 said, “The CoLab is so sick. It’s a whole new area on campus that I can explore. Can’t wait for the furniture.” To put it simply, many see the CoLab as another fantastic addition to the already beautiful campus, serving as an alternative to the previously used McBean Library.
The formal introduction of this building came in the first week of school, when the sophomores and juniors had a meeting to discuss how students should use the CoLab, and another meeting open to the whole community was held the day after. In both meetings, students buzzed with anticipation, eager to explore the pristine building, walking into classrooms and examining the balcony. Rules covered in the introductory meeting included: there should be no food in the CoLab, students may register for the study pods online, and the McBean and Johnson Libraries will remain as alternative places to study.
After the first month in school, as incoming furniture gives the facility its final touches, the CoLab is getting closer to being completed. The Wykoff library, housed within the CoLab, is now replete with books, the shelves populated entirely with stories waiting to be read. There are also huge steps, accompanied by soft cushions, located in the middle of the library, serving as one area where students can work, both individually and collaboratively. Under the radiant ceiling is an array of classrooms and study pods, and classes held in the building include Computer Science, Photography, Ceramics, and Humanities. Humanities teacher, Dr. Dahm stated, “Teaching in CoLab room 11 has been like a breath of fresh air. Beyond the more tangibly beneficial aspects of the room, such as the large projector screen and sound insulation, there’s also a more abstract lightness to the space that I’ve found really energizing.”
In contrast to McBean, the CoLab offers a much brighter and fresh environment, providing students with the opportunity to study in these well-lit rooms. Since McBean remains open and is mostly utilized for quiet study, students now have options when it comes to choosing where to work. As the school year progresses, it will be interesting to see how the CoLab fosters community and supports students in pursuing their academic interests.
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