A Student-centric Welcome Centre Creates an Indelible First Impression

The advent of welcome centres on college and university campuses is one of the most significant trends in education architecture. Recognizing that prospective students and their parents form an impression of a school within minutes of their arrival, Conestoga College engaged ACi to create a new Welcome Centre on its Doon campus that would project an impactful and memorable first impression for prospective students and their parents. 

Our mandate was to align the College’s strategic messaging and service delivery model with the flow, look, and feel of a new one-stop service hub. Key to the Welcome Centre’s success is a highly accessible, flexible environment. Bookable meeting rooms and technology-enhanced student and service spaces radiate from the entry hall allowing for fluid use of space.

The Welcome Centre involved the repurposing of 21,500 sq. ft. of office space into a warm and inviting suite of spaces centred on student recruitment, registrar support, and meeting/classroom spaces. Student and service spaces radiate from a dramatic new entry hall allowing for a fluid transition between uses. The addition and renovations extend an authentic message of welcome by visually enlarging the space, introducing generous natural light, and animating the space with vibrant colours. The bountiful wooded landscape forms the perfect backdrop for the inspiring spaces within.