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TIDEWATER COMMUNITY COLLEGE - CHESAPEAKE NEW STUDENT CENTER ACUI FACILITY DESIGN AWARD SUBMISSION - 2015
Exterior of New Student Center (Credit: Ansel Olson)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
DESIGN GOALS
PROJECT NAME Tidewater Community College Chesapeake Campus
Community colleges are leading the effort to educate and retrain an incredible
Working alongside staff and students,
New Student Center
number of Americans to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.
the design team identified three main
Tidewater Community College (TCC) is the second largest of the 23 community DATE OF COMPLETION August 2014
colleges in Virginia, enrolling more than 42,000 students annually. In fact, forty-five percent of the region’s residents who attended a college or university in Virginia in fall
goals to support TCC in becoming a model for comprehensive community college education in the 21st century:
2012 were enrolled at TCC.
1. Retain Students on Campus
New Construction, Student Center
In order to support this growing trend, TCC’s Chesapeake campus prioritized
Forecasting the right mix of amenities
Budget: $15 million - $25 million
the development of a student-friendly “living room” with multipurpose social,
and programs to keep busy, commuter
recreational, and service spaces that foster student success, enhance institutional
students on campus is a challenge
ARCHITECTURE FIRM CREDIT
identity, and reach out to the distinct needs of the community college population.
– but defines the success of a good
VMDO Architects, P.C.
Center’s program to keep students active, engaged, and focused on their learning
community college student center.
Charlottesville, VA
objectives while on campus.
The New Student Center provides a
BUILDING TYPE
rich mix of uses that brings together a diverse body of students. The design strategically organizes the program to keep students active, engaged, and focused on their learning objectives while on campus. 2. Create a Stronger Sense of Identity Unlike a typical campus academic building, a successful student center needs a more extroverted focus and expression. By projecting its lively activity to the outside, the New Student Center at TCC Chesapeake draws students in and contributes an attractive new image that enhances a sense campus culture and community. 3. Understanding the Community College Student With one foot in the academic world, and the other firmly planted in the realities of working adulthood or the financial strains of higher education, many community college students balance a wide range of responsibilities. Specific programs (like child-minding) offered at the New Student Center serve this unique population and provide the resources students need to succeed. ABOVE: Exterior of New Student Center (Credit: Ansel Olson) RIGHT: Multipurpose Study with Flexible Furniture and Technology (Credit: Ansel Olson)
CAMPUS PLANNING
SITE STRATEGIES
The architect developed a Precinct Plan for the project which studied the proposed locations of the New Student Center and an adjacent new Academic building (outlined in a previous 2007 Master Plan), analyzed parking upgrades and campus infrastructure, and investigated the build-out sequence of new buildings around an open green. The architect worked alongside students and community members as well as decision makers from the Virginia Community College System, Tidewater Community College, and TCC Chesapeake to organize the precinct plan around three major goals: •
Foster learning on campus;
•
Concentrate parking within structures along the campus perimeter;
•
Situate future buildings around a central green.
The precinct plan also provided strategies for phased parking, pedestrian connections, consolidated storm water management, and revised service access.
EXISTING CHANNEL
WETLANDS
CONSTRUCTED STORM WATER WETLAND BOARDWALK
EXISTING POND
The New Student Center site takes advantage of its position
STUDENT CENTER
fronting a new campus green space as well as a distinctive, tidal wetland landscape feeding the Elizabeth River. The building’s recreation spaces and café spill out to a lively
ACADEMIC
terrace edging this unique wetland – engaging the special
NEW GREEN SPACE
portion of campus contributing to TCC Chesapeake’s designation as an Audubon sanctuary. Selective use of local wood harkens
FUTURE
EXISTING PARKING
FUTURE
EXPANDED PARKING
to the campus’ distinctive natural setting and to the boardwalk that extends into the landscape. The shaded entry courtyard acts as an outdoor atrium and frames a campus-wide portal that extends views and pathways
NEW PARKING
PIPED CHANNEL
into this remarkable landscape. By replacing a small amount of existing parking, this new green space extends from the Student Center’s wetland landscape
ABOVE: Student Center Precinct Study (Credit: VMDO Architects) RIGHT: Student Center Terrace Overlooking Audubon Sanctuary and Wetland Landscape (Credit: Ansel Olson)
1-091809-rev.dgn 10/7/2009 10:36:31 PM User=ravi
and entry to existing campus buildings – providing a safe, pleasant, collegiate landscape connection.
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM THIRD FLOOR Study / Terrace Overlooking Meeting Wetlands
The New Student Center serves as a focal
Multipurpose Meeting
point, a crossroads, and a gathering place for students, faculty, and visitors. The building contains: •
Student Activity and Recreation Space
•
Lounge / Study Areas
•
Meeting Rooms
Trellis
Terrace
•
A Café / Food Service Venue
•
A Range of Multipurpose Event Rooms
Terrace Catering
Offices
Multipurpose Event
(with flexible furniture, moveable walls, and accessible technology for student
SECOND FLOOR
events and conferencing) •
A Fitness Center
•
Flexible Space for Student Organizations
•
Child-Minding Area
Overlook to Dining Below
Stair to Dining
Study Lounge
Games Lounge Study / Meeting
Each major component of the Student Center program has a prominent location in the building plan and finds useful expression on the exterior – drawing students in and welcoming them to stay on campus.
Student Organizations Fitness Center
The main informal gathering space – called the Commons – acts as an all-campus front porch facing the new lawn. Likewise, the Fitness Center is directly above this porch and opens out through a glass façade to
FIRST FLOOR
light up the front of the new building with a vibrant slice of student life. The building is zoned to take advantage of
Dining Terrace
Dining
Service Dock
View to the Wetlands
Child-Minding Services
Coffee Servery
the trellis-covered entry court to separate the more boisterous and active spaces like
Multipurpose Event Room with Basketball
the multipurpose event room, game lounge,
Multipurpose Event Room with Basketball
Entry Courtyard
and Fitness Center from the quieter study, meeting, and child-minding spaces. Commons Seminar Study Lounge
Storage Front Lawn
ABOVE: Student Center Floor Plans (Credit: VMDO Architects) RIGHT TOP: Entry Court Separating Active Spaces from Quieter Study Spaces (Credit: Ansel Olson) RIGHT BOTTOM: Child-Minding Area and Meeting / Seminar Room with Flexible Furnishings (Credit: Ansel Olson) ...\1040_Plans combined.dgn 2/17/2012 1:44:06 PM
Meeting
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM
ABOVE: Game Lounge Overlooking Dining Area (Credit: Ansel Olson) BOTTOM: Lounge and Study Space Overlooking Front Entry and Wetlands Landscape (Credit: Ansel Olson) RIGHT: Dining Area with Outdoor Terrace Edging Wetland Landscape (Credit: Ansel Olson)
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM
1
STUDENT LIFE PROGRAM
2
3
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
Commons Multipurpose Event Room with Basketball
Multipurpose Event Room with Basketball
Entry Courtyard
Games Lounge
1
ABOVE:View from Multipurpose Event Room to Commons Space and Fitness Room (Credit: Ansel Olson) BOTTOM: #1: Multipurpose Event Room with Flexible Basketball Facility; #2: Commons Space; #3: Fitness Center (Credit: Ansel Olson) RIGHT: Floor Plans Illustrating Transparency between Multipurpose Room, Commons, Fitness Center (Credit: VMDO Architects)
Commons
2
3 Front Lawn
Fitness Center
SUSTAINABILITY / MATERIALITY
As the first corner of an ambitious build-out for a growing campus, the New Student Center serves as a source of inspiration and a promise of things to come in future construction. The design of the building’s exterior reflects these expectations by establishing a more collegial architectural character and highlighting sustainable design strategies that frame and respect the campus’ unique wetland landscape. Careful incorporation of energy-efficient curtain walls, translucent panels, and storefront glazing on the south and north faces of the building supports views in and out as well as optimal solar management. South facing glass is shaded with integrated sun-screens. The north facing café opens to even, indirect light and an outdoor dining deck near a constructed storm water wetland and amenity pond.
NARRATIVE
TIDEWATER COMMUNITY COLLEGE - CHESAPEAKE, NEW STUDENT CENTER 100 WORD SUMMARY Tidewater Community College (TCC) is the second largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With ambitious goals for each regional campus, TCC is becoming a national model of comprehensive community college education. To support this growth, TCC’s Chesapeake campus prioritized the development of a student-friendly “living room” with multipurpose social, recreational, and service spaces that foster student success, enhance institutional identity, and meet the distinct needs of the community college population. Each programmatic component has a prominent location in the building plan and finds useful expression on the exterior – drawing students in and encouraging them to stay on campus.
Designed to survive on the area’s rainfall, the landscaping features native or adaptive plantings that require no irrigation – minimizing water use and maintenance. 75% of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills. In addition, 20% of the materials were extracted regionally and 20% of the materials feature recycled content. The building is currently tracking LEED Gold certification.
1,000 WORD PROJECT DESCRIPTION Community colleges are leading the effort to educate and retrain an incredible number of Americans to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. Tidewater Community College (TCC) is the second largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia, enrolling more than 42,000 students annually. In fact, forty-five percent of the region’s residents who attended a college or university in Virginia in fall 2012 were enrolled at TCC. In order to support this growing trend, TCC’s Chesapeake campus prioritized the development of a student-friendly “living room” with multipurpose social, recreational, and service spaces that foster student success, enhance institutional identity, and reach out to the distinct needs of the community college population.
Design Goals Working alongside staff and students, the design team identified three main goals to support TCC in becoming a model for comprehensive community college education in the 21st century: 1. Retain Students on Campus Forecasting the right mix of amenities and programs to keep busy, commuter students on campus is a challenge – but defines the success of a good community college student center. The New Student Center provides a rich mix of uses that brings together a diverse body of students. The design strategically organizes the program to keep students active, engaged, and focused on their learning objectives while on campus. 2. Create a Stronger Sense of Identity Unlike a typical campus academic building, a successful student center needs a more extroverted focus and expression. By projecting its lively activity to the outside, the New Student Center at TCC Chesapeake draws students in and contributes an attractive new image that enhances a sense campus culture and community. 3. Understanding the Community College Student With one foot in the academic world, and the other firmly planted in the realities of working adulthood or the financial strains of higher education, many community college students balance a wide range of responsibilities. Specific programs (like child-minding) offered at the New Student Center at TCC Chesapeake serve this unique population and provide the resources students need to succeed. ABOVE: View of Front Entrance / Courtyard Framing Views of Exterior Landscape (Credit: Ansel Olson)
NARRATIVE
NARRATIVE
Campus Planning
Sustainability / Materiality
The architect developed a Precinct Plan for the project which studied the proposed locations of the New Student Center and an
As the first corner of an ambitious build-out for a growing campus, the New Student Center serves as a source of inspiration and
adjacent new Academic building (outlined in a previous 2007 Master Plan), analyzed parking upgrades and campus infrastructure, and
a promise of things to come in future construction. The design of the building’s exterior reflects these expectations by establishing
investigated the build-out sequence of new buildings around an open green.
a more collegial architectural character and highlighting sustainable design strategies that frame and respect the campus’ unique
The architect worked alongside students and community members as well as decision makers from the Virginia Community College
wetland landscape.
System, Tidewater Community College (including academic, student affairs, and facilities management leaders), and TCC Chesapeake
Careful incorporation of energy-efficient curtain walls, translucent panels, and storefront glazing on the south and north faces of the
(including the Provost, a Biology Instructor, the Language/Math/Sciences Dean, the Business/Public Service/Technology Dean, and
building supports views in and out as well as optimal solar management. South facing glass is shaded with integrated sun-screens.
the Student Activities Coordinator) to organize the precinct plan around three major campus goals:
The north facing café opens to even, indirect light and an outdoor dining deck near a constructed storm water wetland and amenity
•
Foster learning on campus;
•
Concentrate parking within structures along the campus perimeter;
•
Situate future buildings around a central green.
The precinct plan also provided strategies for phased parking, pedestrian connections, consolidated storm water management, and revised service access.
Site Strategies The New Student Center site takes advantage of its position fronting a new campus green space as well as a distinctive, tidal wetland landscape feeding the Elizabeth River. The building’s recreation spaces and café spill out to a lively terrace edging this unique wetland – engaging the special portion of campus contributing to TCC Chesapeake’s designation as an Audubon sanctuary. Selective use of local wood harkens to the campus’ distinctive natural setting and to the boardwalk that extends into the landscape. The shaded entry courtyard acts as an outdoor atrium and frames a campus-wide portal that extends views and pathways into this remarkable landscape. By replacing a small amount of existing parking, this new green space extends from the Student Center’s wetland landscape and entry to existing campus buildings – providing a safe, pleasant, collegiate landscape connection.
Program The New Student Center serves as a focal point, a crossroads, and a gathering place for students, faculty, and visitors. The building contains student activity and recreation spaces; lounge / study areas; meeting rooms; a café / food service venue; a range of multipurpose event rooms with flexible furniture, moveable walls, and accessible technology; a fitness center; a flexible space for student organizations, and an area dedicated to child-minding services. Each major component of the Student Center program has a prominent location in the building plan and finds useful expression on the exterior – drawing students in and welcoming them to stay on campus. For instance, the main informal gathering space – called the Commons – acts as an all-campus front porch facing the new lawn. Likewise, the Fitness Center is directly above this porch and opens out through a glass façade to light up the front of the new building with a vibrant slice of student life. The building is zoned to take advantage of the trellis-covered entry court to separate the more boisterous and active spaces from the quieter study and meeting areas.
pond. Designed to survive on the area’s rainfall, the landscaping features native or adaptive plantings that require no irrigation – minimizing water use and maintenance. 75% of construction waste was recycled and diverted from landfills. In addition, 20% of the materials were extracted regionally and 20% of the materials feature recycled content. The building is currently tracking LEED Gold.