Higher Education

Des Moines Area Community College Student Services

Ankeny, IA

To enhance the identity of their student services on campus and provide an improved experience for recruiting and registering students, the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) project included 26,400sf of interior renovation and a 12,000sf one-story addition. To maintain access and use of the existing building throughout construction, a thorough phasing plan was also developed.

Materials were selected to relay a modern aesthetic and also complement the existing facility and adjacent campus buildings. One unique design feature was a custom pattern developed by the design team that was digitally printed onto the glazing. The pattern reduces glare during the day while permitting enough transparency to serve as a welcoming lantern for the campus at night.

The existing open office was reorganized, and the design developed private offices, shared conference space, and work rooms. INVISION created a public lobby with a revitalized front door to the space, satisfying the space needs during registration while serving as a common area during the rest of the year. Wayfinding was also developed throughout to give the students and staff a better experience with recruiting and registration.

Mike Bechtel
Architect

There are projects that come across your professional plate where the project team needs to throw out the what if” situation to the owner. The DMACC Student Services Building was one of those. Creating a one-stop shop for student services seamed straight forward enough, but proposing the connection of two buildings with an enclosed space to create that experience is what made it special. The administrative team at DMACC worked with INVISION to visualize their dream to reimagine the admissions and student service experiences at their Ankeny campus. Working through design concepts in one and two buildings, the next logical iteration was to consider connecting the two buildings to create a unified experience for all. That iteration was the right one. The buildings and student experience were transformed.

Other Team Members