Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Bergen Community College: Student Center

  • 12/01/14
Bergen Community College

PHOTOS © JAY ROSENBLATT PHOTOGRAPHY, LLC

To address an increase in enrollment and student center traffic at Bergen Community College, the largest community college in New Jersey, DMR Architects of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, designed a renovation and expansion of the student center to transform a divided campus into a single entity.

The Student Center, the hub of the campus, serves a population of more than 17,000 students, faculty, staff and visitors. Previously, the building lacked a clearly defined entrance, interior space was divided, and interior circulation was inefficient. The building contained narrow stairs, ramps and passageways; food service areas were too small; and the building contained no exterior space.

In renovating and expanding the facility, it was important to create an identity for the building and provide more collaborative seating and lounge options, as well as accommodate growing student clubs. The renovated Student Center now provides efficient interior and exterior seating, a defined entrance, a wider and intuitive circulation pattern and a flexible layout.

The building was designed with sustainability at its core, including numerous sustainable features, such as a green roof, which helps reduce heat loads and stormwater run-off. It also provides an aesthetically pleasing solution to addressing the views of the roof from offices above. Other sustainable features include a new high-efficiency mechanical system, a wood and aluminum curtain wall system, high-efficiency glazing, energy-efficient lighting, low-flow fixtures and locally sourced materials.

The 24,000-square-foot Student Center now provides the students of Bergen Community College with a modernized space for collaboration and social interaction. The project has transformed this vital access point to the campus and has provided a new identity to the college.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.