NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE

PROJECT

Northern Lakes College High Prairie Campus HUB

Northern Lakes College is deeply rooted in the north-central Albertan history and its communities. It provides a range of programs across the vast central north region in utilizing distance delivery and traditional classroom approaches to ensure learners can be successful.

The new campus building has been positioned in the southeast corner of the site to enhance its street-front presence. This made the west of the site the natural location for parking and vehicle access, providing a discrete parking lot as it is buffered from the residential community west of the site by a treed, natural ravine.

There is a seamless transition between exterior and interior spaces., with a small entrance plaza accentuating the main entrance to the west and a patio to the east, both a continuation of the central gathering space inside.

Both the entrance plaza and patio will feature a triangular pattern of different concrete finishes reminiscent of the quilting patterns that were common to Indigenous people of the area. Furthermore, the patterns resemble the geometry of the nearby railway bridges and continue the form of the clear storeys on the ground. The non-directional quality of the pattern conveys the subtle sense of a ‘stopping space’, as opposed to a transitional space.

The patio, as well as the landscape east of the building, is designed in terraces facing toward 42nd Street. The terraces subtly and elegantly accentuate the building, reduce the slope, and will be further emphasized by rows of grass and tree planting.

The service area in front of the Trades Lab may double-function as basketball court after hours.  

SCOPE

New Construction:
Private Yard
Location:
High Prairie, Alberta
Client:
Northern Lakes College
Architect:
Manasc Isaac Architects
Completion:
Anticipated Spring 2020