Sending the Right Message from the Start

A student association centre on a campus is often a first stop for newcomers to a college or university. It’s a place where new students can find answers to their questions, meet new people, and access services. For the George Brown College Student Association (GBC SA), their existing space felt more like a bank branch than a welcoming place to socialize and collaborate.

In 2020, Architecture Counsel was engaged to inject new spirit into the student association spaces. Having previously worked with the same group on another project, we knew the school’s culture and student-focused mindset. We worked with the Student Association and GBC to design welcoming co-working hubs. Modern, attractive, and flexible, these areas were designed to provide essential services, offer support, display art, and market events.

George Brown College is one of the most culturally diverse campuses in Toronto and these hubs provide ideal settings to build connections and a sense of community and interact. GBC SA embraced ACi’s idea of creating collision spaces for chance encounters. Collision spaces are where people who wouldn’t normally intersect, can meet, network, study, or merely take a break from their hectic schedule.   

Bright, barrier-free, sustainable materials, accessible space, and wayfinding were critical parts of the design. These additions were meant to encourage mingling between students, the student association staff, and the broader George Brown College community.