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Central Piedmont Community College

Parr Center

Details
Charlotte, NC
Location
182,000 SF
Size
2022
Completion
Design Architect
Moody Nolan
Architect of Record
Morris-Berg Architects
Collaborators
Awards
American School & University
Design Citation
IIDA, Ohio Kentucky Chapter
Interior Design Award, Higher Education
American Institute of Architects, Columbus
Merit Award, Interiors
CPN, North Carolina
Star Award
2023

The Central Piedmont Community College Parr Center is a hub of activity—designed to connect students to campus resources and one another.

 

As the largest community college in the area, Central Piedmont endeavored to expand on-campus amenities, giving students the same resources found at a four-year institution. Balancing the brick-clad exterior with a transparent glass façade activates the building and connects the interior activity to the activity of the greater campus and the city of Charlotte.

The interior design strategy sought to create a modern environment for today’s students, that harmonizes with the traditional architectural language of the campus. Playful geometric angles within the space help create continuous sightlines within the building while visually connecting activity between levels.

Design for Connection

The design solution features connection as a unifying theme, expressed through the programmatic layout and interior design strategies. From third-place spaces for shared experiences, to makerspaces for collective discovery, the building encourages students to connect with their academic passion, and one another.

Wrapped with amenities like grab-and-go dining, study lounges, technology labs, and art installations, the Parr Center encourages commuter students to stay on campus for extended periods of time.

The wood-clad central learning stair provides a third-place space for studying and socializing, with flexible furniture to accommodate diverse modalities of use.

Unifying the campus

Nestled within a hillside, the building resolves former accessibility issues by serving as an interior street that connects the upper campus quad to the street level below. The facility replaces two limited-use buildings to create a new new front door to the campus.

Wood-slatted treatments serve as a visual cue, strategically highlighting service touchpoints such as help desks.
The “jewel” on the third floor of the library is a quiet Reading Room with 180 degree views of the campus and downtown Charlotte, where students aspire to begin their careers after graduation.

Student Informed Design

Student Informed Design image
 

Student Informed Design

The library is designed to support group collaboration on the lower level and quiet study on the upper floors. Independent workstations sit adjacent to quiet pods where small groups can meet and study in a semi-private space
Student Informed Design image
 

Student Informed Design

Guided by student input, the programmatic and design challenges centered on creating a unified space for the commuting student-body to gather, enriching the cultural and social connections of the community.
Student Informed Design image
 

Student Informed Design

A “tech sandbox” makerspace allows students to gain hands-on experience and explore their passions.
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