Houston Community College
Center of Excellence in Manufacturing

While working at RdlR Architects in Houston, Tx, Jennifer DaRos was the lead designer and project manager of the New HCC Center of Excellence in Manufacturing, an $18 million  57,000 SF state-of-the-art workforce training facility on the HCC Stafford Campus.  The project is certified LEED Silver and was completed for approximately $1M under budget.

Building

images by © Slyworks Photography

The building is designed showcase the industrial materials typically used in manufacturing facilities in a bold and innovative way, while still achieving budget goals and focusing on programmatic concerns and relationships.  Several environmental strategies were used to achieve LEED certification, including natural lighting in all programmed spaces, storm water filtration through bio-swales, high efficiency systems and educational exhibits.

Program

The facility focuses on technical training for standard and high tech machining, robotics, 3-D printing, fabrication, welding and other technical trade skills.  The program favors a collaborative learning environment with flexible "21st century" classroom spaces,  strong physical / visual link between programmatic spaces, dedicated lab spaces visible from public corridors and lobbies, outdoor teaching environments and a variety of breakout, study and display areas.

images by © Slyworks Photography

Detail

Clean transitions, repeating patterns, functional furniture, inexpensive materials used in interesting ways make this building a visual and budgetary success.

images by © Slyworks Photography