The O.T. Swanson Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory at Rensselaer is well known for its industry sponsored real world student-led projects. In addition, The Design Lab serves as the central hub for design activity at Rensselaer. At the center is the design conference center offering over 6,000 square feet of flexible workspace and Internet connections promote real-time interaction between students, sponsors and the world. Beneath the design studio sprawls the cutting edge of fabricating and prototyping shop that is supported in part by the generosity of Haas Corporation, the largest machine tool builder in the United States.

The Design Lab joins a multitude of resources, programs, courses, curriculum, and people that has lead to Rensselaer's recognition by Business Week magazine as one of the top 60 design schools in the world!  The Design Lab offers flexible conference and classroom facilities with unparalleled fabrication and prototyping resources for our students. 

THE DESIGN LAB conference center provides 12 conferencing areas, covering over 6,000 square feet of floor space.

Flexible workspace and internet connections promote real-time interaction between students, sponsors and the real world.

A team of students from THE DESIGN LAB collaborated on the development of thin-film sensors to non-intrusively measure water temperature.

Through the generosity of Haas Corporation, the largest machine tool builder in the United States, and Allendale Machinery Systems, a certified Haas dealer, the lower level of the MDL is an official Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC).