Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Giving Students a Brighter Space

  • 12/01/17
Solatube

Solatube skylights helped bring light to “the cave” at Waukesha Technical College, giving students a brighter space in which to learn and eat.

Waukesha Technical College (WCTC) is a public technical college located in Waukesha, WI, outside of Milwaukee. The school has over 23,000 students enrolled in a variety of degree programs. One of the key areas for students to study and eat is called the Service Building.

Students traditionally referred to the student gathering space as “the cave” since it was dark and gloomy. The challenge was to renovate the existing space within the budget of $600,000 but transform it from a cave-like space to a place where students could study and socialize in an environment filled with daylight.

According to Matthew Kerr, IIDA, ASAI, senior associate and interior designer at Zimmerman Architectural Studios, one of the main drivers of the renovation was allowing the space to be filled with natural light and creating auditory separation without disrupting the visual “openness” of the existing space. “The large glass wall around one of the meeting areas helped the tubular daylighting devices and lanterns do their job,” Kerr says.

The project used 12 SkyVault M74 core units, integrated with LED lighting for night use and maximum lighting energy efficiency. Custom square-shaped fabric lanterns were created as decorative elements at the ceiling level.

“The student lobby in the Service Building went from being an underused, dark space to a vibrant and active hub for students. It’s amazing what a building remodel that factors in natural light can do for one’s psyche! The Solatube units made this possible,” says Brooks Kyler-Eberlein, WCTC Interior Design instructor.

Keith Johnson, owner of Brighter Concepts, handled the Solatube SkyVault units and installation.

“The cave-like environment of the student gathering area was very oppressive,” Johnson says. “It was truly incredible to see the transformation of the space once the Solatube SkyVault units were installed.”

www.solatube.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.

  • RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    RIT Saunders College of Business – Lowenthal Hall Addition

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. RIT Saunders College of Business's Lowenthal Hall Addition has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.