Red Deer College Four Centres

The Red Deer College Four Centres is a campus growth initiative which includes major expansions in facilities, learning programs and services to students, which is based on the educational program needs of Central Alberta and alliances with industry and the community. These innovative facilities create a place where business, industry, culture, education and the community collaborate to solve problems and identify new opportunities.

Location Red Deer, AB Completion Phased 2009–2012 Project Budget $60M

Red Deer College Four Centres is comprised of a Centre for Trades and Technology, Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing, Centre for Business Enterprise, and Centre for Visual Art. This expansion is a major step toward meeting the increased demand for skilled labour in Central Alberta. Through input received from visioning sessions and design committees, a ‘Learning Plan’ was developed for the project which served as a guiding document for the entire process. Key design objectives include: providing flexibility for the future; showcasing activities, programs and innovations; and creating opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration among centres. Integrating the main facility into an existing courtyard brought forward structural, building code and disruption concerns that required detailed phasing plans and collaborative discussions with the integrated design team.

Improving Connectivity + Student Engagement

This project created strong social and academic space at various scales to support interaction and connect a diverse student body. Transparency and integration of multiple departments, and integration of trades with visual arts serves to cultivate learner curiosity, celebrate learning, and nurture community. Four Centres re-envisioned a previously compartmentalized facility to create an open and collaborative space that encourages cross-discipline learning. The extensive input gathered through visioning sessions and design committees resulted in a final ‘learning plan’ for the project that prioritized educational experience, partnerships, innovation and industry connections.

Four Centres re-envisioned a previously compartmentalized facility to create an open and collaborative space that encourages cross-discipline learning.

The extensive input gathered through visioning sessions and design committees resulted in a final 'learning plan' for the project that prioritized educational experience, partnerships, innovation and industry connections.

Project Credits

Architect

Group2

Photographer

Photek

Contractor

Stuart Olson

Red Deer College Four Centres

Improving Connectivity + Student Engagement

Project Credits

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