From Red Deer College Communications

Red Deer College celebrates grand opening of new Residence

It was a day of celebration at RDC Thursday, as the College’s newest building – the impressive five-story Residence – was officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Our newest Residence building is another important piece in the evolution of RDC as we transition to become a university,” says Joel Ward, President & CEO. “This Residence was created through collaboration with our team of experts and with feedback from current and past students, so every square foot was purposefully designed to meet the needs of students and guests living on campus.”

One of the major benefits is the studio suite design, which combines the privacy of independent living with the socializing and collaboration of a Residence environment. There are 145 studio suites, including 10 barrier-free suites, each with a self-contained kitchen and bathroom complete with a shower. The bright, five-story central atrium is at the heart of the building, and there are spaces throughout that will allow students to connect, socialize and study as they live and learn together.

“The Students’ Association is thrilled for the grand opening of Red Deer College’s new residence, primarily because of what it will provide for students during this university transition,” says Brittany Lausen, President of the Students’ Association of Red Deer College. “The new residence will be a fantastic resource for students seeking a more independent option and short-term tenants, such as our apprenticeship students, with its reduced weekly rate. This June, the Students’ Association is hosting the annual Alberta Student Executive Council conference at Red Deer College, and we are excited to share our new residence with other student leaders from across the province to showcase what an amazing facility Red Deer College has built.”

The Residence has been unique since its planning stages, as it was designed and created by an integrated project delivery team. This team, made up of representatives from 11 different companies, included a range of consultants and contractors required to complete the project. By working together, the group identified and solved potential issues during the design phase, which saved time and money throughout construction.

“Our team worked collaboratively on this hefty goal of creating a beautiful building with limited resources,” says Vedran Skopac, Project & Design Lead with Manasc Isaac. “The new student Residence design is focused on social interaction of students. The building offers seven distinct gathering spaces, which represent the sacred “Seven Stages” of personal growth in the life of a Red Deer College student. This concept is an optimistic effort to support the students’ well-being on all three levels: physical, spiritual and, especially, mental health.”

Construction was complete in January 2019, and the first guests to enjoy the thoughtfully designed spaces were athletes on campus for the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Students are currently living in the building, and it will be utilized by guests on campus – including those from Summer Camps and Series Summer Arts School – throughout the coming months. Moving forward, it will continue to be used by students, and it will increase RDC’s overall complement of student Residence units to 675.

“This building has been built to be innovative, with 545 solar panels that contribute to our Alternative Energy Initiative. And it was also built to be innovative for how people will live and connect with each other throughout the space,” says Ward. “It’s a beautiful, functional and flexible facility, and a welcome complement to our existing Residences on campus.”