Creating a new vital student center for the Rio Hondo Community College campus, the separate but closely related Student Services Building and the Student Union Building bring together all the student services support functions in an integrated complex.
The 38,500 square foot 3-story Student Services Building provides single point for all student support services such as Admission, Registration, Financial Aid, Counseling, Health Services and a selection of special support functions. The building site, carved out of a steep hillside, forms a critical component of both the main campus quadrangle (the Upper Quad) and provides of face to the most active arrival point for campus visitors as well as returning students and staff.
The building itself connects the lower parking lot and campus arrival level with the Upper Quad, symbolically and practically connecting the entering student from the outside to the inside of college life.
A public stair leads through the building from parking, past the three levels of services provided, up to the very heart of the campus at the Upper Quad. Internal elevators provide an accessible path for this same journey.
The 2-story Student Union Building is sited immediately west of the Student Services Building.
A grand sloping pedestrian way ramps up from the lowest level of the Student Services Building to first level of the Student Union, right at the junction of the Lower Quad and the terraced connection from the Lower to the Upper Quad.
At this critical campus juncture the cafeteria welcomes all who past that way. The sweeping curve of the glass enclosed main dining area looks out on several available outdoor dining patios.
The upper floor of the Student Union Building, which connects directly to the Upper Quad, houses the central student lounge, student government offices and student club activities spaces. These spaces all have views across the whole campus and provide a central place for student interaction.