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Niagara College Welland Student Commons

Discipline : Interior Design

Categories : Education, Institution & Healthcare / University & Higher Education : Platinum Winner

Surrounded by Ontario’s escarpment, this 35,000 sf two-storey hub establishes a heart for the stu-dent community. The double-height addition breathes life into the 1970s Welland Campus with new student areas and a north-facing entrance that enables natural light to uplift the student experience. Playful details reinvigorate the campus, including X and O shaped pendant lights, whimsical circular LED lights, and supergraphics that are visible from outside. Oversized lettering, chevrons, and dots on the glazed expanse give an instantly recognizable brand. Green glass partitions and dark porce-lain tiles define seating areas, creating niches for studying and socializing. Event space with over-sized white pivot doors is reminiscent of an open-air cafe. Blue felt acoustics panels above the doors inlaid with ultra-thin diagonal lights demarcates the gathering space. Above the food hall, a stream of clerestory mirrors reflect daylight into the corridor ensuring the space is airy all year round.

Collaboration

Architect : Gow Hastings Architects

Interior Designer : Gow Hastings Architects

Engineering : ENSO Systems

Engineering : WSP

Other : Paula Hicks Food Service Design

Engineering : MGM Consulting

Landscape Architecture : PMA Landscape Architects Ltd.

Photographer : Scott Norsworthy

Niagara College Welland Student Commons

The project in images

INT.DESIGN Magazine

Niagara College Welland Student Commons

The project in images

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