First Step in Welcoming Students

Nearly 30,000 students have found their path in life through the San Jacinto College System southeast Texas. The Central College, one of three physical campuses in the system, just broke ground on its new Welcome Center, which is to serve as the “front door” of the campus. The Page design is intended to create an engaging impression and encourage student activity and interaction.

A prominent double-story glass entrance illuminates the center of the warm red brick building. A passive solar shading system on the second level retains the inviting element of the entrance while providing protection from the Texas sun.

The Welcome Center provides multiple support spaces for students from the administrative offices, registration and retraining services to the financial aid area. Conference rooms and multipurpose spaces provide flexibility for various activities, and the building is easily accessed from dedicated parking spaces directly in front of it.

Page is providing architectural and engineering services on the project. Other project team members include landscape architecture firm Wong & Associates, civil engineers J. Morales, structural engineers Dally + Associates and envelope consultant Morrison Hershfield. The contractor is Tellepsen Builders.

The 52,000 square foot facility is scheduled for completion by mid-2019.