Lucky students at Philadelphia's Drexel University received a real eye-opener last week when Steelcase installed a shiny new media:scapetechnology table in the center of their library's atrium. As part of Steelcase's "Test Drive" promotion, the new library addition provides an opportunity for students to use the technology as they work in collaborative group settings. The free, month-long trial is available to businesses and schools who are considering the benefits of media:scape.

"It's called the media:scape table and we're looking to see how students will use the new furnishings," said Gail Homes, assistant director of interiors at Drexel. "We didn't want [to tuck it away in] a corner for the test drive, so we chose the library atrium so that student's will see it".

And see it they did. Easily enticed by two large LCD monitors, contemporary styling and lime green seats, students wasted little time in getting to know their new collaboration tool up-close and personal.

"I think it's really cool. I just walked in and it was there, [so] I figured I'd use it," Nafida Zaman, a senior international business and marketing major, said. Her review on the rest of the library's design was less stellar, however. "I really like this new stuff, it's really contemporary, but it just doesn't fit. The rest of the library isnt' that nice. I mean, look at those other desks, they're not so beautiful. I hope they redo the rest of this place."

Other students chimed in on their experiences with the new media:scape and their reviews were unanimously positive.

"It looks like it's supposed to be used for groups, and my friend and I were working on a project when we got tired of passing notes. So we hooked our laptops up to the screens and it's so much easier to work together," shared Andrew Moore, a pre-junior who recently used the table.

For the entire article by Drexel University's Triangle Newspaper, visit this link
(Image courtesy of The Triangle.org, credit:Francesca Martelli)