As part of the extensive renovation to Microsoft’s Kendall Square office, Columbia built a unique maker space called “The Garage”. The 15,000 sf enclosed area is dedicated entirely to creativity, learning, and collaboration between employees. Open 24/7, it is a place where any employee can access resources to bring their ideas into reality in a supportive, low-stakes environment. The Garage provides employees with opportunities to create, meet people from other departments, and learn new skills.

Located on the second floor of Microsoft’s New England Research & Development (N.E.R.D.) Center in Cambridge, The Garage is made up of five different areas.

•   The Hub: A large space utilized for workshops, hackathons and events.
•   Maker Space: Contains four 3-D printers, among other design tools.
•   Advanced Maker Space: Houses more complex equipment including a t-shirt press and laser cutter. Employees are required to complete online and in-person training to access this space.
•   Virtual Reality Room: Contains a variety of VR eqiupment, including green screens.
•   The Intern Space: Home to 46 student interns for Microsoft.