higher education

Northwood Technical College

Rice Lake, WI

A need for Northwood Technical College (formerly Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College) students to have a more comfortable hangout and dining environment on campus was the driving force behind this addition and remodeling project.

The 10,000-square-foot addition included a full-size commercial kitchen and food service area, coined “The HUB Cafe”, and is directly adjacent to the new Student Commons. The HUB is full of natural light, color, and a variety of seating options, and provides students and faculty a place to gather, study, or grab a bite to eat, all the while encouraging them to remain on campus throughout their day.

Also included in the addition was a space for WITC’s Student Life Program, where students can gather for activities such as student government, clubs, and study groups. With flexible furniture and state-of-the-art equipment, this space offers the option of being used for large meetings or divided into small intimate gathering areas. Another bonus is that the WITC Student Life Program is now much more visible and attractive to current and potential students.

This new addition now serves as the main entrance for the building with a full-time staffed reception and welcome desk. Having a new “Main Entrance” allows the existing Conference Center (which was also remodeled) to utilize the previous entryway, which relieves congestion at both venues and aids the Conference Center by allowing it to have its own identity.