Comprising a three-story classroom building and a two-story advising center connected by a walkway, the Academic Village at Morningside College in Iowa is the first new construction on campus since the 1970s. From state-of-the-art simulation spaces for nursing programs to offices that promote first-year student success, this 35,000-square-foot facility serves a variety of purposes for the Morningside community.
CHALLENGE
With enrollment up 70 percent over last decade, Morningside began reinventing its undergraduate programs in 2013. The college updated spaces for its popular nursing, education and applied agricultural and food studies programs. Administrators also envisioned a comprehensive advising system focused specifically on mentoring first-year students, says Provost Bill Deeds. “When our first-year students are just getting their feet wet on campus, we wanted to create a home for them to get their questions answered, whether it’s creating their class schedules with their advisor or finding clubs and organizations to join.”
SOLUTION
Both Academic Village buildings are modern brick facilities with internal glass walls that give an open and airy feel. Buhler Rohlfs Hall has several classrooms, gathering spaces and individual study areas with flexible seating. It also includes three different simulation spaces for nursing students in the areas of pediatrics, obstetrics and adult medical surgery. Though the building didn’t open for classes until January, Morningside students starting studying and using the meeting spaces right after the dedication in October, Deeds says.
Attached via a glass walkway is The Krone Advising Center, which houses a team of full-time, first-year advisers, meeting rooms and resources for freshmen. “That setup has helped drive a lot traffic to the advising center,” says Lilian Lopez, Morningside’s vice president for advising. “Having staff ready and easily accessible to help has been especially valuable for our first-year students.”
- COMPLETED: October 2014
- COST: $13 million
- PROJECT TEAM: Cannon Moss Brygger Architects (Sioux City, Iowa), lead architect; HGA (Minneapolis), design
