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

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • Photo credit - Chuck Coates

    Florida District Modernizes Central Energy Plants at Two High Schools

    Flagler Schools, a public school district in Flagler County, Fla., recently partnered with Matern Professional Engineering to modernize the central energy plants at two of its high schools, according to a news release. The project is part of a larger, district-wide effort to reduce energy costs and operational expenses.

  • Image courtesy of Kahler Slater

    UW–Madison Announces Completion of Morgridge Hall

    The University of Wisconsin–Madison recently announced that construction is complete on Morgridge Hall, a new academic building, according to a news release. The facility opened September 3 at the start of the fall semester, consolidating the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences into a single facility for the first time.

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.