Western Michigan University, Richmond Institute for Design and Innovation

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Firm

Progressive AE

Client

Western Michigan University

Area

29,140 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$3,941,585

Completion Date

09/2018

WMU Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications

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Design Team
Graham Forbes (Architect); Chad Gould (Senior Design Architect); Mike Perry (Project Manager); Bryan Koehn (Director of Design); Amy Callaway (Project Assistant); Sara Fall (Interior Designer); Sara Bergakker (Senior Mechanical Engineer); Jeff Green (Senior Mechanical Engineering Technician)

The Richmond Center for Innovation and Design at Western Michigan University was developed in partnership with local businesses to meet the growing demand for design and manufacturing talent. This renovated industrial design facility accommodates all manner of contemporary and traditional processes.

The center is housed on two floors of a renovated 1960s academic hall. The building’s style was highly traditional for the time with long corridors and classrooms. The new program required a complete reimagining of the space. The first floor now features two shops—a large machine shop, and one that supports the sophisticated needs of new technology. This floor also has exhibit space, a large presentation classroom, and administrative offices.

The third floor was gutted and redefined into three high-tech studio spaces. Each studio has both individual workstations and group collaboration space. A classroom fills the center of the floor with floor-to-ceiling marker board walls on either side. Faculty offices also are on the third floor to facilitate interaction between staff and students.