Community colleges play an important role in both higher education and their respective communities – they provide accessible, equitable pathways for students to pursue academic opportunities. With workforce and community development at its core, the Patton Building at Blue Ridge Community College delivers on community focused goals by creating an academic facility that features both education and skilled workforce training.
The Patton Building consolidates what was previously three separate academic buildings into one centralized facility with a hybrid of education and skilled workforce training spaces.
It is the first new development on the west side of campus in more than 40 years. The design of the renovation and addition blends modern design in keeping with the surrounding mountainous landscape. To foster a streamlined, walkable campus experience for students, the new courtyard and campus lawn thread a natural connection between the main entrance and the pedestrian bridge and lake behind the building.
Features
- A 6,200 square-foot flexible industrial Workforce Development Center for local Henderson County industry partners to collaborate with the college.
- Four state-of-the-art, specialized science labs to train future STEM and healthcare workers and those seeking transferable science credits.
- Modern common areas that support students collaborating, group study, and socializing.
- Front-and-center placement of the new Student Success Center provides easy access for all students.
- Fifteen multi use classrooms are equipped with the infrastructure to support both current and future teaching and learning technologies.
With innovative learning environments and the technology needed for training and curriculum, the facility supports Blue Ridge Community College students and position the College as a strong economic development partner for Henderson County to recruit industry partners.
Awards
AIA North Carolina Honor Award, 2023
