Berkshire Community College – One Stop Student Success Center

Location: Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA

Berkshire Community College (BCC) contracted with Dietz & Company Architects, Inc. to prepare a Study to determine renovation needs and costs to upgrade program spaces for the  BCC Admissions and Student Advising offices on the 12,000 square foot first floor of the Field Administration building.

Utilizing a more student-friendly “One Stop” design approach, the new space replaced the worn, outdated and departmentalized office planning that had been in place since the building was constructed in the 1970s. In addition to providing a more engaging student environment, the One Stop provides a spatial layout that reorganizes staff work space to enable collaboration and communication between the various departments providing student services. The College demanded a design that was bright, colorful, and visually inspiring while utilizing the brutalist concrete structure as a backdrop to new curvilinear forms and finishes.  Natural lighting, glass walls and open office planning were utilized to allow sunlight to filter throughout the student and staff spaces.  A new concourse walkway along the south side of the renovation area provided generous pedestrian passage space along comfortable student seating areas with large windows and a “living wall” to capture the Berkshire Community College mission promoting connection to and celebration of the natural environment.