Those returning to the Henry F. Hall (H) Building for the first time since March 2020 are in for a surprise: they’ll find bright, inclusive and flexible spaces across the reopened sixth floor.
While most Concordians were studying and working from home, the Facilities Management team completed one of its most comprehensive redesign and renovation projects ever.
“The work on Hall 6 was undertaken with an entirely new philosophy,” says Marie-Claude Lavoie, associate vice-president of Facilities Management. “Rather than renovate a section and merely adapt the old space, we decided to rethink it right down to the pipes.”
Avoiding the one-size-fits-all approach
Student life and learning are at the core of the sixth floor. In addition to numerous classrooms, it is home to the Dean of Students Office, The Link, the expanded Otsenhákta Student Centre and many others groups and services.
“With a variety of groups occupying the floor, we tried to ensure that the needs of each were well integrated into the design,” says Stéphane Prem, the Facilities Management senior project manager who oversaw the transformation. Prem played the same role in 2018 for the Webster Library overhaul.
“For example, we listened to what members of the Otsenhákta Student Centre had to say about signage in the Kanien'kéha language, colours in their space and the role of food in many ceremonies,” Prem notes.
“We moved them closer to the new Dean of Students conference location, which has a catering kitchen that could be useful when they have larger events.”
The conference space also provides other student groups with a new, easier-to-book venue, and it can be divided into smaller rooms when needed.
“We like the way the redesigned floor considers the realities of different groups,” says Andrew Woodall, dean of students.
“Services like the LIVE Centre are visible as soon as you step off the escalator, while the Sexual Assault Resource Centre will benefit from a more discreet setup, with confidentiality and safety in mind.”