The Site

There is really no “there” on campus right now. VMDO’s work with PVCC was focused on creating a building that took the next step towards fulfilling the master plan promise of a quad + a future pedestrian spine.

The first design work was the verification of the site indicated in a pre-existing master plan. Originally the proposed building site was south of where the selected site ended up being. From the standpoint of synergies with existing programs and how students use the existing main building, shifting the building to the north was the best choice. It helped create a gateway into the campus that didn’t previously exist, and it presented an opportunity to create a prominent position that is visible from Interstate-64.

The remaining design question was then, how will this building contribute to the proposed master plan development of a central pedestrian spine on the campus? This was a difficult question to answer. There was no ability to directly connect the building to the growing quad due to construction and financial challenges. To solve them, the building had to move westward and then connect to the quad via three foot bridges.