Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

North Idaho College: Parker Technical Education Center

  • 07/01/17
North Idaho College

PHOTOS © EXPLOSIVE ILLUSIONS / SHAWN TONER

The new 110,960-square-foot Parker Technical Education Center on the campus of North Idaho College (NIC) in Rathdrum, ID, was designed by Architects West, Inc. of Coeur d’Alene, ID, to accommodate eight programs: advanced manufacturing/mechatronics, automotive technology, collision repair technology, CAD technology for architecture and engineering, diesel technology, industrial mechanic/millwright, machining and CNC technology and welding technology.

The program for the new facility included spaces for courses that were currently offered on the main campus, some 12 miles away, replacing 40,000 square feet of existing space and tripling the area dedicated to CTE programs, plus space for additional programs. Challenges included providing an aesthetic and functional design on a tight budget. The solution utilized a pre-engineered metal building structure for large lab spaces and conventional construction for administrative and classroom spaces.

The facility was designed to create instructional spaces that focus on students. There are numerous student study/break areas, adjacent to both labs and classrooms, and staff offices are intentionally placed adjacent to labs to encourage student/staff interaction. Designed to be intentionally flexible, the structure’s safe lab spaces reflect the current industrial workplace and can adapt to future expansion.

The U-shaped building nearly encloses an outdoor courtyard that is designed to provide a secure area for display of student projects, as well as provide ample amounts of exterior wall to facilitate natural light being introduced to both office, classroom and shop/lab spaces.

To create some synergy around the importance of technical education in the community, this building was sited next to an existing high school technical education facility. Because it is remote from the main campus, the building represents the college and serves as the flagship of NIC technical education. Future post-secondary technical education facilities are planned for this same site.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • North Texas School District Completes Third New Elementary School

    The Denton Independent School District in Dallas, Texas, recently finished construction on its third prototype design elementary school, Reeves Elementary, according to a news release.

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

Digital Edition