Tangram and Cate School Reimagine Inquiry Collaborative as a Destination for Discovery, Connection, and Campus Life

Carpinteria, CA– A historic dining hall was repurposed into one of the most magnetic destinations on the Cate School campus.

In partnership with Tangram Interiors and Blackbird Architects, Cate School has unveiled the newly reimagined Inquiry Collaborative, a dynamic academic hub where students come to collaborate, recharge, explore, and create. 

The two-story, 16,000-square-foot building includes media and technology studios, classrooms, a ceramics studio, study pods, offices, a double-height terraced reading and lecture space, and the school’s library collection.

More than a design refresh, this project signals a shift in how students experience academics and collaboration at one of the nation’s most respected boarding schools.

Working closely with Tangram’s education-focused furniture team and Blackbird Architects, Cate School brought a bold vision to life: a flexible, inspiring learning environment that supports academic discovery and collaborative exploration.

The design process centered around versatility, comfort, and a sense of belonging. Tangram and Cate worked hand-in-hand to select elements that encourage students to use the space in their own way—modular furniture, warm lighting, bold color palettes, and inviting textures that give the Inquiry CoLab an unmistakable energy.

As Tristin Kranenburg, Tangram Sales Director, explained: “We weren’t just designing furniture layouts—we were helping to shape how students experience academic inquiry. Every design choice had to answer a single question: Will this environment support and inspire learning?”

The finished space includes:

• Flexible seating zones for everything from solo study to casual group meetups

• A dedicated AV and digital media lab that’s always buzzing

• Warm, tactile materials that echo the natural beauty of Cate’s coastal campus

The revitalized CoLab exemplifies Cate School’s dedication to providing spaces that align with contemporary educational values while honoring the distinct culture of the campus. 

For more information about this project, please visit www.tangraminteriors.com. 

About Tangram Interiors

Tangram is a flagship dealer for Steelcase, Inc., and the leading commercial interior solutions provider in Dallas-Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Southern California with offices in Los Angeles, Orange, and Fresno counties. The company has nurtured a collaborative and people-focused culture in the belief that people fuel innovation. That culture has led to the organic growth of multiple business units complementing the firm’s core contract furniture offering: custom furniture, ancillary furniture, audio-visual integration, architectural walls, on-site furniture reconditioning, asset management and storage, delivery and installation, and corporate moves.

For information on Tangram Interiors, please visit www.tangraminteriors.com.