Project Description
In the vast region of preserved forests and wetlands known as the New Jersey Pinelands, Stockton College is naturally situated to become a leading practitioner of sustainable design. As the college continues to grow, it faces the challenges of creating a campus able to attract top students and faculty, meet the needs of academic and collegiate life, and simultaneously celebrate its integration and place in nature. The growth has also exposed the need for a campus focal point, a destination where students, faculty, and visitors can mingle, and a landmark that can become synonymous with Stockton College.
The new Campus Center provides a place where the community can truly realize Stockton College’s values and culture. KSS Architects coordinated managing the college’s project budget with designing a social and cultural center that supports environmental responsibility and preserves Stockton’s natural setting. Sited at the head of a future campus green, the campus center has become a destination that greets visitors and fulfills everyday services of the community.
The design translates the existing forested transition between the college and outside community by using organic, nature-inspired architectural details such as soaring columns topped by outstretched trusses reminiscent of tree limbs, and a drop ceiling canopy created from wood panels. Sustainable design elements include an Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage, an energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system.