Southeast Community College has offered a welding degree and certification for a long time, however with the need for trained welders trending upward and SCC’s current location capped in student numbers, it was determined that the best course of action was to create a new standalone facility to meet the demand and anticipate future growth.

Davis Design was brought on board to help facilitate the programming and design of a new Welding Technology Center (WTC). The primary focus has been to expand the number of booths on the welding floor, increase instructional access and improve materials flow and safety throughout the facility.

The WTC as designed, has two main welding floors, each with 90 booths. Raw materials flow to the floors, from ‘dirty side‘ fabrication space, to “clean side’ instructional classrooms, labs, and faculty offices that have connectivity, but are buffered from the main welding floors.

Student commons and gear up spaces are also given visual access to main welding area and act as the backbone and mixing zone of students and faculty. Certification programs are catered to in spaces tailored to the “Industrial Partners” area.

Mechanical, electrical service and welding gas distribution have been carefully thought out to provide needed support to all areas of the WTC.

Student interaction, special amenities, and access to daylight were important drivers of the WTC design. The structure is to be a combination of precast panels in areas needing durability and metal panel, stick framed construction for classroom and administrative functions.