Student Central

Lakehead University had two concerns when faced with the prospect of reimagining this space in their existing building. First, they required a multifaceted venue focused on servicing a variety of student needs. Their second requirement, no less vital, was to present a welcoming face to potential students on recruitment tours.

We pursued a design and selected materials for the revamped centre that express this welcoming gesture. Warm wood millwork and bespoke furnishings combine with a calming blue — Lakehead’s signature colour — on benches and feature walls while elements in metal mesh and white provide a clean, modern contrast. A deliberate use of curves — in the main doorway, in the rounded floor-to-ceiling bench that demarcates the entry, in the semi-private consultation cubicles — emphasizes the friendly feel, embracing visitors and drawing them in. We also custom-designed a multipurpose counter-meets-bench that manifests both flow and functionality. It provides multiple plug-ins at varying heights of access — seated, standing, and wheelchair levels — for mobile device users.

Where before there was just blank drywall and brick, Student Central now has its brand writ large on a new glass wall that borders the main quad. Not only does this allow much more light into the space, it makes this important campus destination highly visible and easy to access.