To modernize and expand the Career and Technical Education Center at the Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, the Cushing Terrell team designed a 12,000 sq. ft. addition plus renovations to the existing 15,000 sq. ft. shop facilities. The new spaces and systems enhance the student learning environments for the college’s agriculture, natural resources, automated systems, welding, and fabrication programs.

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

The improvements include creating transparency and cohesion between learning spaces as well as connections to outdoor spaces. The design melds the new and older buildings with contemporary elements such as overhead doors and a metal screen for signage and shading.

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

A long lobby with entrances at both ends welcomes both community members and students and features comfortable seating, high-top tables, and whiteboards for collaborate work and show-and-tell opportunities. Additional new spaces include classrooms, display areas, breakout spaces, and flexible labs. The technology enriched environment is infused with daylight and views throughout, with most spaces connecting to exterior courtyards so learning can happen inside and out.

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

Photo credit: Bob Pluckebaum

Additional design elements include a new culinary kitchen lab to support the agriculture science program and a 28kW solar array that ties into the power distribution system and provides renewable energy for the facility.

Project Team

Cushing Terrell Services:
Architecture, Interiors, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Landscape
Principal: Corey Johnson
Project Manager: Scott Roberts
Project Architect: Amy Lindgren
Mechanical Engineer: Timothy Johnson
Electrical Engineer: Tyler Victorino
Structural Engineer: Lindsay Watters
Interior Designer: Randi Thomas
Landscape Architect: Angela Hansen

Consultants:
Contractor: Petra General Contractors https://petrainc.net/
Civil Engineer: CK3, LLC, Larry Hinton

Photography:
Bob Pluckebaum, Pluckebaum Studios