HQ Function

Serves as the central hub for all research, collaboration, teaching, and administrative activities of the Media Lab. It houses its diverse research groups, state-of-the-art laboratories, fabrication workshops, event spaces, and public exhibition areas.

Notable Features:

The original Wiesner Building (E15) was designed by architect I.M. Pei, and the E14 extension by Fumihiko Maki. The complex features open, flexible lab spaces, advanced fabrication facilities (e.g., 3D printing, electronics assembly), interactive installations, a multi-story atrium, and areas designed to foster serendipitous encounters and transparent collaboration.

Work Culture:

Highly collaborative, 'antidisciplinary,' innovative, and dynamic. The culture encourages creative risk-taking, hands-on experimentation ('demo or die'), and a playful yet rigorous approach to research. It's known for its unstructured environment that fosters cross-pollination of ideas among students, faculty, and researchers from vastly different backgrounds.

HQ Significance:

As the primary physical embodiment of the Media Lab, the headquarters is where groundbreaking inventions, influential concepts, and future-shaping prototypes are conceived and developed. Its unique architecture and internal design are integral to fostering its renowned research culture and global reputation for innovation.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters' design and functionality reflect the Media Lab's core values of openness, transparency, collaboration, interdisciplinarity, creativity, hands-on innovation, and a forward-looking perspective on technology and society.

Location:

While its physical nexus is in Cambridge, MA, the MIT Media Lab cultivates a significant global presence. This is achieved through its diverse international student body, faculty, and researchers; extensive global research collaborations and field projects; the worldwide impact of its alumni; open-source initiatives and online learning platforms; and the global dissemination and adoption of technologies and methodologies developed at the Lab. Its members actively participate in and host international conferences, workshops, and exhibitions, addressing global challenges and sharing innovations worldwide.

Street Address:

20 Ames Street (Building E15) / 75 Amherst St (Building E14)

City:

Cambridge

State/Province:

Massachusetts

Country:

USA