In the five months since our last update, progress at the site of the NorQuest College Singhmar Centre for Learning has been progressing steadily. The first glimpses of exterior cladding have appeared, and the $190 million project (with $170 million in provincial funding) is taking shape at the corner of 103 Avenue NW and 108 Street NW in downtown Edmonton. The first major development for NorQuest in 50 years, the Singhmar Centre for Learning will consolidate NorQuest's various campuses into one centrally located facility. The 240,000-square-foot facility is targetting LEED Silver Certification, and will soon to be home to a projected 20,000 students by 2020. 

NorQuest College Singhmar Centre for Learning, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Designed by DIALOG for NorQuest College, the Singhmar Centre for Learning will contain 24 classrooms and 25 labs, a 56-spot childcare facility, an Indigenous Student Centre complete with a ceremonial room, and a food court, cafeteria, and student activity space. All of these will be placed above a 107-stall underground parking garage with space for 73 bicycles. 

Close-up view of glazing efforts now underway, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Taking full advantage of its block-long lot, the Singhmar Centre for Learning will feature a series of long continuous window bays on two of its three sides, which will allow for ample natural light. This benefit will be felt year-round, providing students with an airy, inspiring learning space. 

NorQuest College Singhmar Centre for Learning, rear view, image by Forum contributor Daveography

Around the back, the exterior will feature a somewhat larger preponderance of grey cladding panels. The reduced window size is a reflection of the interior uses along that wall, as a bank of windows is better suited to a public space than a classroom or lab. To be connected to transit by the upcoming Valley Line LRT, which will have a stop just steps away from campus, students will be able to easily get to and from class. 

NorQuest College Singhmar Centre for Learning, as will appear upon completion, image via DIALOG

Slated for completion in 2018, the Singhmar Centre for Learning will bring a great deal of urban vibrancy to a site that has long been occupied by a surface lot. Part of the city's ongoing urban transformation, the completion of the new NorQuest College campus will be a welcome addition to downtown, and the life it brings to the city streets will generate a boost for local businesses including cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops. 

SkyriseEdmonton will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.