Opened in time for the first day of classes as finishing touches were being applied in September, the expanded Singhmar Centre for Learning brought a major new presence to Edmonton’s Norquest College. Designed by Canada’s Dialog, the newly opened $192.3 million expansion project represents the last work of late Dialog Principal Tom Sutherland, who tragically passed away in a 2015 skiing accident.
Photo by Tom Arban
Initiated to help serve the college’s quickly growing student population ? which now numbers at over 15,000 ? the new Singhmar Centre was designed to serve the needs of a highly diverse student body, where over 100 languages are spoken. For the designers, fostering an inclusive student experience was a key goal. Prioritizing open communal spaces with ample natural light, the design works to promote social interactions and stimulate a sense of community. Photo by Tom Arban
According to a recent Q & A with the Dialog design team, led by Charles Lau and Nicole Guenette.  “Access to natural daylight for the classrooms, laboratories and administration spaces was a major focus in the design. Punctuated by a subtly dramatic spiral staircase, the central student commons atrium filters natural daylight from the roof to the deepest part of the building. Inner classrooms have windows facing the naturally-lit atrium, so even those classrooms have access to daylight. We did plenty of analyses to maximize light from all angles of the building, whil...