Secchia Piazza and Heritage Restaurant

The new Secchia Piazza at Grand Rapids Community College transforms an existing outdoor roof terrace into an indoor, multiuse event space. The new room is part of the Secchia Culinary Institute and an extension of its teaching restaurant, whose renovation was also part of the project.

The Piazza’s name honors the donor’s Italian heritage and identifies the room as a place for students and the community to gather in celebration. Its principal feature is a conical, colored-glass skylight whose colors and kaleidoscopic patterns are inspired by the warmth of the Mediterranean and the abundance of the harvest. At night, programmable LED lighting further highlights its dramatic interior. Full-height glass walls on two sides of the room engage views of the city, and sliding doors open to a balcony and connect events to the outdoors.

This landmark project brings visibility to a vibrant and growing college and creates a new kind of event space that uses its culinary and hospitality programs to serve not only the college but also the city and region.

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