SFCS Press Release

SFCS Designs Two STEM Buildings for Higher Education Institutions, Celebrates Progress

Roanoke, VA. December #TBD#, 2019 - SFCS is celebrating the completion of two higher education projects. The firm is responsible for the architecture, engineering, and interior design of the new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) building at Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) in Roanoke and of the new Bioscience building at Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) in Weyers Cave. Both facilities opened their doors to students in the Fall Semester. VWCC recently held an open house to celebrate the opening of “STEM” while BRCC held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new building in August. The facilities bring new opportunities to students with updated classrooms, realistic training labs, and state-of-the-art technology.

“Both buildings provide learning on display, with flexible teaching and lab spaces,”said Brenda Landes, Vice President at SFCS. “What’s special about the Community College System is that, in addition to the typical higher education curriculum, it offers programs around workforce training to spur economic development in the local area.”

The training labs at BRCC’s Bioscience building were designed in partnership with Page/SST Planners and are geared towards the pharmaceutical industry. The $16 million facility also serves as a feeder into the local healthcare systems, with robust nursing and EMT programs. After nearly two years of construction, the 40,000 sq. ft. facility stands as a centrally located gateway to the campus and includes a range of inventive and collaborative spaces.

SFCS designed VWCC’s STEM building labs alongside HERA Laboratory Planners. The $22.6 million, 72,000 sq. ft. facility seeks to foster interdisciplinary learning, where math, engineering, and science often become one. Robotics, mechatronics, and electronics programs are all integrated into the curriculum. SFCS considered input from the each of the colleges’ faculty and staff when designing the state-of-the-art buildings.

“Faculty brought much enthusiasm to each project – offering ideas that only strengthened the concepts,” said Landes. “VWCC included an interactive ‘Imagination Lab’, while both programs sought to provide spaces that foster more student and instructor collaboration. Their vision was much more than their budgets, but they certainly helped to make every penny count!”

In addition to higher education projects, SFCS designs solutions for senior living communities as well as civic and public buildings. The firm is based inRoanoke, VA with additional offices in Charlotte, NC, Blue Bell, PA, and Louisville, KY. To view more details on these projects, visit sfcs.com/projects.

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