Robert G. Freeman Center for Career and Completion

Pasadena, California

Firm

Architecture for Education

Client

Pasadena City College

Area

4,217 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$641,190

Completion Date

01/2020

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Pasadena City College wanted to transform an underused and outdated office space into a dynamic student-focused center. Inspired by the multitude of paths students can take to find their passion and career, the design of the Robert G. Freeman Center for Career and Completion reflects a journey of discovery through a “roadmap” theme with three physical zones of interaction:

• Inquisition: Students are greeted by an open and bright welcome center with a genius-bar-type atmosphere and direct sight lines into the workshop space.

• Exploration: The central workshop zone is flexible and multifunctional with agile furniture and integrated technology. It plays host to varying sizes of group meetings, lectures, and presentations.

• Facilitation: Designed to promote safety and trust, mentoring activities are supported by semi-private meeting booths that transition to one-on-one glass-front counselors’ offices.

Design features of the new center include fluid navigation between zones supported by unique flooring patterns, wall graphics, writeable surfaces, collaboration nooks, and acoustical treatments that create hierarchy at the ceiling plane for visual interest and subtle division of the space.