Higher Education

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Our architectural team collaborated with HGA and Acoustic Distinctions on the design of the new 175,000 SF Corn Center for the Visual Arts in historic downtown Columbus. The facility provides Columbus State
University’s nationally accredited art and theater programs with state-of-the-art program spaces.

The Center provides individual “area of interest” creative studios, including classrooms, gallery, and exhibition space. Other facilities include a 350-seat proscenium theatre, a 150-seat “Black Box” studio
theatre, classrooms, lecture halls, and rehearsal spaces. Both the Art and Theatre disciplines include multiple computer and graphics labs. The consolidation of Art and Theatre adjacent to the existing Downtown Schwob School of Music consolidates all of the arts into CSU’s RiverPark campus.

We provided structural engineering for the entire project. In addition, we provided MEP engineering for the studio theater, classrooms, lecture halls, and rehearsal spaces.

“The center creates not only dynamic new academic maker and performance spaces but lends a vibrant presence to downtown Columbus’s popular river walk.” – Donald Runnicles

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A New Life Design Program

Supporting Bowling Green State University’s strategic plan, the Life Design program will occupy the majority of the existing Math & Science Building, built circa 1967 and located on a prominent site in the heart of campus. Project scope/objectives includes, creating a dynamic, collaborative, and functional home for the new Life Design program; developing a refreshed south façade and second floor entrance experience that promotes new and existing functions within the Math and Science Building; and creating a new exterior plaza at the building entrance.

A Highly Inclusive And Collaborative Project Process

SSOE is utilizing a highly inclusive and collaborative project process. By forging strong partnerships with University stakeholders, the new design will address the drivers at the heart of the project’s goals, mission, and objectives. In doing so, the team will be able to creatively capitalize on what’s possible, and thereby achieve a meaningful solution that will inspire stakeholder and student success. Life Design is a differentiator for Bowling Green State University; the program starts by teaching their students to design their college experience and then they provide them with the tools to design their life. The interior layout and modifications to the building’s exterior will support this unique mission.

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Prominent Space

In support of Lanier Technical College’s mission to serve as the foremost workforce development resource in northeast Georgia the new Ramsey Conference Center fosters community engagement, enhances the student life experience on campus, and houses the Hospitality Services and Culinary Arts educational programs. The Conference Center is intended to provide much-needed exposition, conferencing, meeting, and performance space for the regional community.

Utilizing a prominent location on campus the highly efficient facility commands spectacular views of the campus, the adjacent Ramsey Lake, and surrounding foothills of the north Gainesville area. Great care was taken to align building entrances, outdoor terraces, and windows to take advantage of these views.

Venue Highlights

The building layout includes the campus bookstore accessible to students, faculty, staff, and the visiting public. The primary meeting venue is a large ballroom that is sub-dividable into up to eight (8) smaller meeting rooms. This room can support banquets of over 740 seats or lectures of up to 920 seats and is serviceable by a perimeter service corridor linking the room directly to storage, support, and the catering kitchen. Culinary Arts is supported by a large culinary arts lab and adjacent catering kitchen. The facility also includes two class / breakout rooms, a large lounge with outdoor terrace, large lobby and pre-function spaces, and a hospitality management office suite.

Pond (prime design professional), in association with SSOE, was selected to provide professional design services for the college’s new Gainesville campus. SSOE supported the overall design team by leading the Programming effort for the entire campus, leading the interior design and furnishing, fixture, and equipment (FF&E) efforts for the entire campus, and providing overall design team project management. SSOE also provided full architecture and engineering design services as Architect of Record for the Breeden-Giles Hall Administration Building, the Chris Riley Instructional Building, and the Wilbur and Dixie Ramsey Conference Center.

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Engineering Design For New Business School

SSOE’s engineering team recently completed the electrical, mechanical, structural, and civil design of the University of South Carolina’s new Darla Moore School of Business. The school features a number of flexible classrooms and conference rooms, student work spaces and administrative and faculty suites.

State-Of-The-Art Features

With more than 250,000-square feet of floor space (Levels 0 – 5), building highlights also include a five-story central courtyard and enclosed garden pavilion, as well as a 500-seat auditorium.

State’s First LEED Platinum Facility

Tasked with the goal to design, construct and commission one of the state’s first LEED Platinum buildings, the new Moore School of Business is on par to achieve Net-Zero energy use, by becoming one of the first Net-Zero Energy buildings of its kind in the southeastern United States.

First Net-Zero Energy Building

SSOE worked hand-in-hand with lead architect Rafael Viñoly, the U.S. Department of Energy and Lawrence Berkeley Labs, to design a modern, yet contemporary, state-of-the-art facility capable of generating as much energy as it will consume through the used of advanced technologies.

A Note From Debbie Brumbaugh, Chief Financial Officer And Director Of Administrative Services

“The entire SSOE team provided exceptional professional support for us throughout our project and often were the main supporters of our vision when challenges arose. Their team seemed to always retain focus on our specifications, expectations, and the intended design plan and were careful to avoid “over compromising” when differences occurred. They could be relied upon to explore and solve complicated challenges in ways that were efficient and favorable for our School.”

 

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Support For Instructional Needs

SSOE has completed the design of Albany State University’s new Fine Arts Center. Located on the university’s Upper Campus, the $18.5 million facility will support instructional needs for music, visual arts, english, and modern languages departments.

Building Features

Academic spaces include classrooms, computer labs, art studios, faculty music studios, and individual music practice modules. The main lobby accesses an art gallery, performance theater, and choir / recital room for public events and performances.

A Note From Art Dunning, Albany State University President 

“I think culturally, economically, and socially the new Fine Arts Center adds a lot of assets to this community. We, as a university community, will always be thoughtful about how we use it because it’s not just a physical facility. It’s a facility that will house music, the arts, and places where people can always come together!”

SSOE teamed with Albany-based architectural firm, Yielding Wakeford & McGee Architects, on the new 80,290 SF facility. The building is LEED Silver certified.

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Warehouse Retrofit

Working in conjunction with the University of South Carolina’s College of Engineering and Computing, the new 36,600 SF warehouse retrofit will accommodate the school’s new “Center for Predictive Maintenance” research facility.

Robust Architectural Layout

The building will house research labs designed to test the various mechanical functions of an aircraft’s rotors, transmissions, and sensors for methods that will address failures before they occur. The facility design seeks to utilize an efficient architectural layout, integrated with robust data and electrical systems, to support current testing, and future expansion of their program via outside investment.

 

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Growing Downtown Research Park

The new Horizon II Office Building (Center for Innovation), located on the University of South Carolina’s growing $144 million Innovista Research Campus, is a partnership between Carolina and Multinational Technology and Consulting Corporation, IBM. University officials and lawmakers envisioned a downtown research park in which private developers would build offices and laboratories for private companies who want to partner with the school in hopes of generating a new research-based economy for the region’s growing downtown area.

Fortune 100 Commercial Space

The new five-story office building will feature office space for several Fortune 100 companies and other entities collaborating with IBM and local University of South Carolina researchers.

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Building A Connection

The proposed laboratory building is situated to connect to the existing science building via a covered walkway and expand the common courtyard area shared with the Clendenin Computer Science Building (also designed by SSOE). The exterior materials of the building are to include brick and stone veneer.

Proposed Building Program

The building program includes 10 teaching labs for chemistry and biology, seven student project labs, and 21 faculty offices. A large public lobby will accommodate student computer networking stations. The design provides for a future bridge connection to the third floor of the science building. Faculty offices face west with a view of the Arboretum across Marietta Drive.

Services for the building addition included conceptual designs provided in support of a capital funding request and grant application to the National Science Foundation.

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Addressing On-Campus Growth

The 176,026 SF student recreation and activities center was expanded and renovated to accommodate Kennesaw State University’s enrollment growth to 20,000 students. The center was completed as a phased construction project, arranged to keep the existing facility operational throughout the 18-month construction cycle.

Two-Story Fitness Atrium

The center was expanded to create a 300-foot long, two-story fitness atrium including free weight, cardio, fitness, group exercise areas, and new locker rooms.

New Facility Features

New facility features include four court gyms with looping jogging tracks around the upper level of the gym, a two-story climbing wall, an indoor lap pool, and a bike shop with a convenient equipment checkout area. In addition, the exterior recreation area includes sand volleyball, basketball, tennis courts, and an outdoor leisure pool.

The new student recreation & activities center, which is certified LEED Silver, was a collaboration with Cooper Carry, Architect of Record, and Hardin Construction Company, the Design-Build project lead. Our firm provided interior design and engineering services.

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“Back-Of-House” Transformation

The Georgia Tech Russ Chandler Stadium focuses on the complete transformation of the field level “back-of-house” facilities supporting Georgia Tech Baseball’s operational, academic, and recruiting environment.

Narrating Georgia Tech’s Baseball Traditions

The players and coaches’ locker rooms were redesigned with new mahogany-stained lockers, custom carpet, LED lighting, and fully integrated audio visual components. Other new spaces include a study, players’ lounge, training room with whirlpools, and equipment room with a high-density storage system. The entire facility is enhanced with custom-designed branding graphics narrating Georgia Tech’s rich baseball traditions.

New Below-Grade Weight Room

The project also included the addition of a new below-grade 3,000 SF weight room. The main pedestrian entrance plaza was demolished to facilitate excavation for the new weight room, additional field-level access, and bleacher reconfiguration. A new plaza, complete with fencing, lighting, and new ADA access features was installed back above the weight room.

The new Russ Chandler Stadium was a Design-Build project that was completed in eight months.

 

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Tech Tower Renovation

The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, commonly known as Tech Tower, is an 1888 historic building and focal point of the central campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Uncovering Building Amenities

One of the goals of the construction process was to uncover previously hidden building amenities and highlight them to show historic character.

Scope Of Services

The planning and design work includes the following: 1) Restroom renovations throughout the building; 2) ADA accessible enlarged elevator within the existing building; 3) New MPE / FP systems throughout the building; 4) Reprogramming the garden level, first, second, third and fourth floors, dean’s suites, meeting spaces, corridors, and support spaces. In addition, the design team created shared office support locations on all floors and added a new interior exit stair throughout Floors 1-4.

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Creating A New Child Development Center

The new Fort Valley State University (FVSU) Family & Child Development Center house program activities for the Cooperative Extension Program and the Academic Program of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, both part of the College of Agriculture, Home Economics, and Applied Programs.

Three Building Components

This building is comprised of three specific components; the Cooperative Extension Program (Conference Center), the Child Development Center, and the Home Management Residence, each with its own separate entrance.

A Welcoming Aesthetic

The largest, most prominent entrance welcomes the public into the conference center and is located just off the main parking area. The main north-facing entrance opens into a two-story open entrance hall that allows lots of natural light to fill the space and serves as a beacon to visitors during the day or at night.

The new Fort Valley State University Family & Child Development Center features a two-story open entrance, Child Development Center, conference center, and on-site home residences.

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New 96-Acre Campus

Located on a 96-acre site in Northeast Georgia, SSOE is working with prime design professional Pond and Lanier Technical College on their new Hall County Campus. Construction will take place over a three-year period and will include six new buildings, associated surface parking, and related site amenities. The new 310,000 SF replacement campus is slated to achieve two out of three peaches from the state of Georgia’s sustainable design grading program.

Programming

Campus Vision and Project Goals: The new vision for the Lanier Technical College site will be to provide a 21st Century campus for education, continuing education, and workforce development training opportunities over various programs.

Programming Project Goals

To date, the following project goals / objectives were identified: 1) Create a “cutting edge” campus that fits into the architectural vernacular of the community; 2) Integrate student life activities throughout each new facility on campus; 3) Create a campus that will become a showplace for economic development; 4) Incorporate spaces for future growth; and 5) Create buildings that are distinctive in character and that will promote student success via a nurturing campus environment that will become “the place to be” for students, staff, community, and industry partners to work, learn, and expand workforce opportunities. In addition to the Campus Support facilities, Technology & Industrial Education and Allied Health, SSOE is specifically focused on the following projects.

Administration & Student Success Center

Viewed as the new “iconic front door” to the campus, the Administration and Student Success Building will be comprised of the Office of the President, Student Services, and Student Life – each requiring a unique, responsive, and dynamic facility solution. The goal of the building is to create a high-quality supportive learning environment that prepares students to enter the workforce and will be the first stop for each person on campus. Entry roads, parking, directional signage, and iconic design will reinforce the college’s message that “Great Careers Begin Here.”

Student Affairs and Bursar functions will also be located to maximize opportunities for student reception and engagement. A “one stop shop” concept for customer service will be incorporated for student services, while a large and spacious circulation concourse will feature soft seating and information kiosks that will reinforce student access, utilization, and connection to services for advisement, financial aid, counseling, and placement.

Instructional Building

The new Instructional Building will house the General Education, Adult Education, Business and Computer Technology, and Early Childhood Development programs. The building will feature numerous integrated technology classrooms / labs, studios, and small and large group areas all designed around problem-based learning (PBL), team-based learning (TBL), and a student-centered active learning environment with evolving pedagogies.

Conference Center

The new Conference Center will feature a 225-seat auditorium, 10,000 SF Exhibit Hall, Testing Center, Culinary Arts Facility, and break-out classrooms. To encourage the development of a “community of learning,” collaborative study zones, magnet spaces, and student spaces will be located in the Conference Center and across campus to allow students to wither work in teams, study or, simply, relax.

Six Buildings – 310,000 SF Total

Instructional Building: 44,281 SF; Administration & Student Success Center: 46,004 SF; Tech & Industries Building: 94,500 SF; Allied Health Building: 61,000 SF; Campus Support Facility: 32,300 SF; Conference Center: 44,500 SF
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Creating A Modern Crown Jewel

The Bailey Performance Center is the crown jewel of Kennesaw State University’s Arts District. The facility contains a 624-seat music performance hall and a 3,600 SF choral and music rehearsal room. The serene, modern interior of the Main Hall complements the world-class acoustics achieved within the 65-foot tall precast structure.

Adjustable Elements

Operable doors above the platform and adjustable acoustical curtains throughout allow the hall to be tuned for specific music performances. Technology includes live audio reproduction, digital multi-track audio recording, and live video streaming.

Additional Features

The Bailey Center also contains a 1,800 SF art gallery, green room / dressing room, box office, management offices, and musical instrument storage. The west entrance features a pre-function outdoor garden while the east entrance is connected to the Ruth Zuckerman Art Museum.

Building Connections

The facility is also connected to the adjacent Wilson Music Building which was also designed by our firm and completed in March 2009.

A Special Note From Donald Runnicles Of The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

“The Bailey Performance Center is simply a gorgeous instrument — as any musician relishes the unlimited scope of a special instrument, so any performing ensemble will celebrate the warm and vibrant acoustic atmosphere this exciting new hall affords. The Bailey Performance Center is a Georgia jewel.”

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Looking Toward The Future

SSOE, in association with design partner SmithGroup, partnered with Georgia Southern University on the design and implementation of their state-of-the-art Engineering Research Building. The facility has been designed for success through supporting regional business and industry, and institutional evolution by supporting new and future interdisciplinary opportunities through long-term conversion from academic to research laboratories. The three-story building is the largest building on campus; however, great care was taken to ensure it fits in well with its context. The building provides a new visual center for the University’s newly created and rapidly growing Manufacturing Engineering Department, as this interdisciplinary research facility includes Mechanical Engineering, Computer, Electrical, and Civil Engineering components.

Uniquely Designed Laboratories

To support the University and the Paulson College of Engineering and Computing now and into the future, the facility is designed to allow laboratories that are currently focused on academics to easily become research-oriented laboratories. There are 33 unique laboratories ranging from Additive Manufacturing (Metallic 3D Printing), Industrial Robotics and Automation, Nanomaterials, Bio-Additive Manufacturing, a Clean Lab, and an open rooftop lab space. One of the most striking spaces is a high bay multi-user research lab that is the length of a football field. The facility also includes a number of supporting classrooms; graduate student, faculty, and administrative office spaces; and a conferencing-event space to host a wide variety of events. A designated tour route provides views into the labs and high bay overlooks that showcase the ongoing research for local and regional business and industry partners.

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Leverage Opportunity

The Georgia State College of Law’s 205,000 SF new building occupies an extremely prominent site in the heart of downtown Atlanta. The project’s primary objectives were to advance learning, create a close sense of community for students, faculty, and staff, and leverage opportunities inherent to its dynamic urban context.

Center Of Intellectual Activity And Research

Working closely with College of Law faculty and administrators, SSOE, in association with SmithGroupJJR, created an innovative building program that conceives the library as the social heart of the school, a center of intellectual activity and research, and an experimental learning environment for emerging innovative pedagogy. The library is placed at the top of the building, a lit beacon in the Atlanta setting, concentrating activity and establishing a civic identity in the midst of much larger office towers. The building gives new prominence to the University and activates Woodruff Park, a major urban space.

Connective Space

The building contains diverse inventive active learning and skills development spaces. Public spaces are conceived of as learning spaces and are visually linked to more structured instructional environments. Internal planning unifies diverse functions with a multi-level, naturally-lit connective space that promotes interaction among students and faculty, and with the public and legal community.

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Re-Imagined Core Campus

Following Clemson’s 2002 Core Campus Housing Precinct Study, the university decided to replace three major buildings in the middle of its Core Campus. By re-imaging the look, feel, and use of the University’s Core Campus, the new housing development will address the university’s need to create a forward-thinking and innovative mixed-use center for students, faculty, and staff.

New Spaces

Initial programming outlined new and replacement space within the Core Campus, which will include a new University Union, three residence halls, a new campus post office, residential and retail dining areas, and small, strategic, doses of academic space.

Multi-Party Effort

The design team includes, SSOE, VMDO Architects, and Sasaki Associates. The project has achieved a LEED Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Clemson University Core Campus Precinct is a three building residence hall with 179,000 SF of living space, 76,000 SF of retail and dining, and 5,000 SF of academic space.

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Full Scale Renovation

The Gavin Engineering Research Laboratory (G.E.R.L.) is a full-scale renovation of the 1930’s era Textile Engineering Facility at Auburn University. Services provided by SSOE include programming, lab planning, interior design, historic preservation, as well as complete architectural and engineering design services.

Top Tier Research Activities

The renovation prepares the building for a variety of research activities for the College of Engineering including much-needed surge space for new faculty and special projects. Building highlights now include Polymers and Composites Research, Additive Manufacturing Research, Nuclear Power Generating Systems, research support labs, meeting spaces, graduate and postdoc offices, and interaction spaces.

An Inspiring New Mission

SSOE’s mission for G.E.R.L. is to create inspirational spaces that showcase the latest technologies and foster a process of discovery, all while allowing a much-loved building to evolve with the momentum of the university’s growing research community.

The renovation prepares the building for a variety of research activities for the College of Engineering and includes much-needed surge space for new faculty and special projects. We also worked with HERA, who served as the lab planner on this project.

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Social Heart Of Campus

The Oxford Student Center (OSC) is the new social heart of Emory University’s original campus located in Oxford, GA. Serving as the new home of campus life activities and as the new front door to the campus, the project creates a welcoming entrance, an authentic Oxford College first impression for prospective students and the Oxford Community, all centered around student activity. Thoughtful attention to details, lighting, colors, scale, materials, and furniture supports student success and activities, projecting the college’s diversity, overarching excellence, and leadership in academic, research, stainability, and technology.

Timeless Story Telling

The project consisted of the renovation of a recently replaced mid-century dining hall (20,000 SF), a two-level addition (12,000 SF), and site improvements integrating the project into existing pathways and plazas. The OSC fosters first-year student engagement and second-year student leadership through collaborative student organization space that supports the 90+ student organizations on campus, a multipurpose forum created from the original dining room, a cafe, a bookstore, social lounges, gaming “hot spot” and Campus Life offices. The design solution promotes the students’ sense of ownership and belonging, a place they are comfortable using, changing, and shaping to work for them.

In addition to supporting student success and building community the project champions sustainability and environmental stewardship. The design optimizes building energy performance through energy-saving systems and strategies (chilled beams, LED lighting) utilizing the existing building infrastructure, orientation, and the site to the greatest extent. The OSC should achieve a reduction of nearly 30% in energy consumption (vs. ASHRAE 90.1-2010) targeting an annual EUI below 60 (consuming 59.33 kBtu/SF/yr) with over 40% reduction in water consumption.

A Note From American School & Universities Jury Member

“Nice introduction of colors against the contextual wood and tile. Maintains a sophisticated aesthetic while being inviting. Appropriate scale with a variety of spaces and gathering sizes. A casual and relaxed atmosphere where any student would feel at home.”

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State-Of-The-Art Instructional Building

SSOE worked with Lanier Technical College on the new Hall County replacement campus. The new campus is located on a 96-acre site in Northeast Georgia. Construction took place over a three-year period and includes a multitude of new buildings spanning more than 300,000-square feet with associated surface parking and related site amenities.

The new Instructional Building houses the General Education, Adult Education, Business and Computer Technology, and Early Childhood Development programs.

Integrated Classroom Environments

The building features numerous integrated technology classrooms / labs, studios, and small and large group areas all designed around problem-based learning (PBL), team-based learning (TBL) and student-centered active learning environment with upside-down pedagogies (SCALE – UP) teachings.

Pond (prime design professional), in association with SSOE, was selected to provide professional design services for the college’s new Gainesville campus. SSOE supported the overall design team by leading the programming, the interior design and furnishing, fixture, and equipment (FF&E) efforts for the entire campus,  and providing overall design team project management. SSOE also provided full architecture and engineering design services as Architect of Record for the Breeden-Giles Hall Administration Building, the Chris Riley Instructional Building, and the Wilbur and Dixie Ramsey Conference Center.

The new Chris Riley Instructional Building is two-stories and features flexible classrooms, faculty offices, and teaching and computer labs.

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Pond (prime design professional), in association with SSOE, was selected to provide professional design services for the college’s new Gainesville campus. SSOE supported the overall design team by leading the programming, interior design and furnishing, fixture, and equipment (FF&E) efforts for the entire campus, as well as providing overall design team project management. SSOE also provided full architecture and engineering design services as Architect of Record for the Breeden-Giles Hall Administration Building, the Chris Riley Instructional Building, and the Wilbur and Dixie Ramsey Conference Center.

The new Breeden-Giles Hall Administration Building is two stories and more than 46,000 SF.

Creating An Iconic Front Door

The new Administration and Student Success Building is the home for administrative, student services, and student support functions. Viewed as the new “iconic front door” to the campus, the building is comprised of three unique mission areas that each demand a responsive and dynamic facility solution.

The goal of the building was to create a high-quality supportive learning environment that prepares students to enter the workforce. The building is the first stop for each person on campus. Entry roads, parking, directional signage, and iconic building design are used to reinforce the college’s message that “Great Careers Begin Here.”

One Place For All Concept

Student Affairs and Bursar functions are located to maximize opportunities for student reception and engagement. A “one-stop shop” concept for customer service was also developed for student services. A large and spacious circulation concourse features soft seating and information kiosks that reinforce student access, utilization, and connection to services for advisement, financial aid, counseling, and placement.

In order to facilitate and foster a better community of learning, open collaborative study zones (i.e. magnet spaces) are located throughout the building that allow students to either work in teams, study individually, or simply relax.

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Comprehensive Renovation

SSOE, in association with VMDO Architects, provided architectural design support and full engineering design services for the comprehensive renovation of Glenn & Towers Residence Halls.

Updated Systems

Project scope included updating the buildings’ mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and HVAC systems as well as providing design services for the renovation of student areas that included all restrooms, lounges, kitchens, laundry facilities, and residential units.

Creating New Spaces

The renovation also included the addition of program space between the existing buildings, which now include exercise, meeting, study, and lobby spaces. Elevators were added to each of the existing buildings to provide accessible vertical circulation.

Additional Design Features

New dormers were proposed on the quad side of the building to add nine new student residence rooms in each building with the rest of the attic containing a lounge, community toilets, laundry, and mechanical space.

The new Glenn & Towers Residence Halls are LEED Gold certified.

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Creating a facility poised from the start to attract talent and produce workers with relevant skillsets now and into the future is the goal of Henry Ford College (HFC) with their expanded Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute / Technology Building. HFC worked with SSOE to create spaces that fuel innovation and entrepreneurship. The Student Commons, a destination space, links the existing spaces to new. The inspiring design allows students informal areas for networking, collaborating, and impromptu learning. The renovation includes spaces for teaming, hands-on learning, and fostering the spirit of “out of the box thinking.”

The project includes the renovation of existing classrooms and lab spaces as well as the addition of 24,000 SF of new space in the Technology Building. Upgrades will include structure, envelope, interior finishes, HVAC, lighting, electrical, and plumbing. This project will allow for continued renovations initiated in 2015 and has a total estimated budget of $14.9 million.

HFC’s 24,000 SF addition will create multi-disciplinary labs, including a new Makerspace / Innovation Hub, automotive labs, as well as the Entrepreneurship and Business Skills Center needed to support changing programs and curricula, the regional demand for workforce training, and business and industry partnership initiatives.

This new construction will also improve building and program access and internal circulation, while addressing the lack of breakout / collaborative workspaces critical for student success. Lastly, the addition will house a new campus Energy Plant to support the college’s goal of a Net Zero campus. SSOE will work closely with HFC’s energy partners, Johnson Controls and Garforth International, to integrate the College’s $23.1 million Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP) into this project.

Several of the programs and physical spaces that will be positively impacted by this project include the Transportation / Automotive Technology Program, the HFC Fabrication Lab, Product Development Center (“Makerspace”), Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business Skills Center, HFC Advanced Manufacturing Early College, and improved learning spaces in the Technology Building. These upgrades continue to reinforce HFC’s mission of transforming lives and building better futures by providing outstanding education.

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Open technology infrastructure accommodates next generation training needs emphasizing the importance of flexibility and creating a powerful link between education and employers.

As the Executive Architect for the Mott Community College campus, SSOE has provided various design and engineering services for the campus facilities, including new construction, strategic land development, building renovations and additions, HVAC systems design, boiler replacements, building investigations, capital outlay reports, parking lot studies, asbestos abatement, and a campus master plan for over ten years. We have completed more than 40 projects on the Mott Community College campus, including the nursing and applied health laboratories.

The Curtice Mott building, one of the most impressive facilities on the campus, is most recently completed. It houses the simulation laboratories, practice rooms, and classrooms for Nursing and Applied Health Sciences students.

SSOE’s responsibilities included coordination of the technology and distance learning that made it possible for students to work with SimMan: A cutting-edge, high-tech manikin that exhibits realistic blood pressure, heart and lung sounds, breathes, moans, and speaks. Under instructor guidance, the new technology, and the SimMan allows students to witness and respond in real-time to a variety of patient clinical situations, including cardiac arrest. The students, via the coordinated technology, can interact hands-on in a patient room setting or can view and answer professor questions from a classroom while witnessing procedures via flat screen televisions and video networking. The simulation set-up also included individual control and head wall units along each bedside station, complete with vacuum and oxygen compressors.

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When Miami University needed assistance with an indoor Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to support data needs, the SSOE team responded with unique design solutions. SSOE gained familiarity with the campus and its many unique architectural elements while consulting on outdoor DAS facilities. Now, the team needed to provide high data throughput within the buildings themselves.

Placing antennas in the many iconic spaces on campus provided a challenge to which SSOE’s team was able to meet with imaginative stealth designs allowing inconspicuous antennas where a stronger signal was needed. Photo renderings were created to ensure University aesthetics were a priority. Upon completion, students will have seamless coverage with high data rates throughout the entire campus.

Close collaboration between SSOE and the University ensured all work could be completed in short breaks between semesters—requiring a high degree of communication and coordination before and during construction. SSOE has professionals ready to be on-site within hours as required to achieve this. With disciplines ranging from architectural to structural on hand, SSOE is able to respond to any challenge from stealth antennas to cable routing without the need for outside resources or consulting.

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Northwest State Community College selected SSOE as the preferred design team to complete the renovations to “C” Building on its main campus. The project encompassed the complete renovation of a two-story building and adding a new addition, which included all student services departments: admissions, registrar, dean’s offices, student services, financial aid office, copy center, and business office; plus relocation of the fitness area, and renovations of the student cafeteria and kitchen.

With an expedited project schedule, SSOE was asked to create an overall project schedule that incorporated department moves and construction phases to minimize impact on operations. The process included creating a logical and orderly relocation of the departments involved, and creating a construction schedule that will complete the project on time, while adjacent areas are being occupied or in use.

The following items are included in the renovation:

  • Relocation of the fitness center, locker rooms, and restrooms
  • Building code upgrades, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ADA, fire protection, and fire alarm systems
  • Technology upgrades
  • Office renovations and re-location of offices
  • Construction of new two-story addition to house the University Center and conference rooms (approximately 1500 SF)
  • Exterior window replacement
  • New student cafeteria and kitchen
  • Copy center relocation
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SSOE was tasked with renovating the existing football team facility (the Larimer Athletic Complex is a two-story, 32,000 GSF facility that was constructed in 1990) to create a more functional facility for the coaches and players alike. SSOE’s approach was to carefully place additions around the facility that would not only increase the size of the facility but aid in creating a new aesthetic. This aesthetic would enrich the facility from its two halves – athletic and academic, and assist in recruiting efforts.

The new weight room and office spaces required additional HVAC design. Heating and cooling of the existing and new areas were not from the existing chiller and boiler systems in the building, but rather from the campus site utilities. Therefore, the mechanical room became the point of interface of the campus chilled water primary / secondary system, tying into the building tertiary chilled water system. Additionally, the campus steam and condensate system fed a new steam to hot water heat exchange, utilizing a condensate receiver and motive (steam pressure-powered) pump.

Entry to the facility is through a new arched stone tower and display lobby with a grand staircase and memorabilia displays. History walls, graphics, and physical memorabilia are displayed throughout the renovated facility. The displays are architectural features with rich materials and interesting lighting that present recruits, families of recruits, and current players with a rich heritage of Rocket Football highlights.

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SSOE’s design team was selected to assist with Northwest State Community College’s (NSCC) plans to expand their Engineering and Workforce Development departments.

SSOE’s extensive experience with higher education, as well as manufacturing and industrial design, was key in designing NSCC’s Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Training Center, which must meet tomorrow’s industry standards and promote recruitment and retention.

To achieve NSCC’s goals and obtain a successful program, the design incorporated high-tech learning environments that are flexible and user-friendly, as well as welcoming, with low-maintenance finishes.

The project consists of the interior renovation and reconfiguration of two existing floors for the new workforce development program. A new 16,000 SF academic and engineering laboratory addition for the School of Engineering will also be designed. Upgrades include new classrooms, department offices, conference rooms, student collaboration and lounge areas, computer laboratories, plastics laboratory, engineering and distance learning laboratories, as well as a large 10,000 SF workforce training and robotics laboratory.

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When Owens Community College embarked on a project to complete major interior renovations within Heritage Hall, it selected SSOE as the A/E firm of choice.

SSOE provided full design and construction administration for the project, which transformed 35,500 SF of abandoned high-bay automotive space into a state-of-the-art academic instructional area. Prior to the renovation, the abandoned area sat empty for nearly 10 years. Upon completion of construction, the renovated space now supports the College’s School of Business.

SSOE’s design for the new academic area takes advantage of the building’s high-bay windows, higher ceilings, and large spaces to create bright and sustainable learning and technology environments. All of the building’s exterior windows were replaced with new, more energy efficient models. The design features technologically-advanced and flexible classrooms, conference rooms, and collaboration areas. Student lounge and seating areas are provided throughout, along with interactive corridors, a medical laboratory, and offices.

SSOE’s welcoming and user-friendly design incorporates the College’s standards and program of requirements. The design also addresses all low voltage requirements, HVAC, and electrical upgrades for the building.

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75% of the existing building envelope and 50% of interior, non-structural elements were maintained saving the client construction costs.

Savage Arena, located in the heart of the University of Toledo’s main campus, was renovated and expanded to transform the arena into a state-of-the-art facility for student athletes and fans.

The 163,000 SF facility features numerous amenities for student athletes and fans, including a new entry pavilion; the Wall of Champions and Hall of Fame; improved locker, weight, and training room facilities; specialty seating, including 12 suites, 17 loges, and 194 club seats; 13 concession areas with 34 points of sale; and a pro shop selling Rocket apparel.

Keeping with the university’s mission to be a leader in sustainability, the facility is LEED® Gold certified. Other efforts to minimize environmental impact included reducing water consumption by 20% through the use of landscaping materials that require little to no irrigation, installing low-flush toilets, and using certified wood and recycled content materials throughout the facility. Meticulous construction management allowed for more than 50% of construction waste to be diverted or recycled.

This renovation also included the transformation of the existing Savage Arena lower level from racquetball courts to a steam generating facility for the entire campus, requiring installation of a 90-foot tall stack in a 25-foot deep areaway.

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Rightsizing the overall square footage of the building, plus a lean delivery method, resulted in savings of approximately $900,000 in contingencies.

SSOE was selected to assist Bowling Green State University and the Ohio Attorney General’s Office / Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) for the design of a new 28,330 SF structure to house BCI’s regional offices, operations, and criminal labs in Northwest Ohio.

Included in the scope of the project was the design of administration and investigation offices, firing range, forensic labs, evidence storage space, public access seminar and conference rooms, security and surveillance, A/V design, redundant electrical and HVAC systems, site amenities, and parking. MWL Design Group teamed with SSOE for this project, providing the forensic design expertise essential for BCI operations and activities.

SSOE was able to provide all design services in-house, with a single point of contact for the client. Services provided include: architectural, interior design, structural, landscape architecture, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design. Additionally, SSOE provided specialty design services that included: access control, IT / technology, A/V, and security. Lean project delivery principles were also utilized throughout the process, including collaboration with the construction manager from the onset of the project. The project was completed on schedule, below budget, and earned LEED® Silver Certification.

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Owens Community College selected SSOE to perform design and construction administration new Culinary Arts Center, located at the Toledo-area campus. SSOE scope of services included engineering, interior design, security / access control, and IT / technology design services. SSOE worked closely with Owens’ administration to meet an expedited design and construction schedule. Design was completed using a 100% BIM platform, with 3D sections and details used throughout the design process to aid shareholders in envisioning and understanding the design intent and layout of the space.

The project included the renovation of an existing, 14,000 SF vacant space. The new Culinary Center offers three unique laboratories – Culinary Skills, Restaurant Skills, and Food Science and Baking. The Culinary Skills Laboratory incorporates the latest cooking equipment and devices, allowing students to practice technical skills. The Restaurant Skills Laboratory simulates what students would find in the industry, including a beverage wait station and expediting cooking stations. The Food Science and Baking Laboratory is equipped with heat and humidity controls to allow students to learn advanced pastry skills. In addition the space also hosts a large dining area for holding lunches and special events, providing students with real-world experience in creating menus, preparing and plating food, and serving. A demonstration station, complete with cameras and television screens and a new outdoor gathering area were also added to provide additional functionality for special events.

Renovations to the center included state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrades, such as new access-control door hardware and additional security and monitoring equipment.

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This prominently sited, five-story structure ties the University of South Carolina (USC) traditional campus to its new urban “innovista” research campus. The facility supports programs in engineering, technology, scientific research, and industrial development of alternative energy sources.

Research includes two floors dedicated to hydrogen fuel cell studies with laboratory areas for Proton Enhanced Membrane (PEM) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). The first floor is dedicated to characterization chemistry and the second floor has a program in nanopolymers. The ground and fourth floors are set aside for future development.

Each laboratory utilizes high performance variable air volume fume hoods with air flow control based on sash position. Fuel cell research laboratories have centrally piped hydrogen and nitrogen gases and also house cylinders for hydrogen rich specialty reformate gases. All laboratory process equipment utilizes a recirculating cooling system to reduce portable water usage.

SSOE was involved in the planning and programming efforts and provided mechanical, electrical and fire protection construction documents for this building. Review of the contractor’s shop drawings, was performed to detect errors and omissions which were found and corrected prior to the fire marshal’s review. The fire alarm design was upgraded to meet code. This allowed passing of the drawings by the jurisdiction on the first review. Life cycle analysis and careful evaluation of alternative energy usage systems were important to the sustainable aspects of this building. The construction was fast-track accomplished by utilizing Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) method.

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