NC A&T State University Proctor School of Education

LOCATION: Greensboro, NC
PROJECT SIZE: 60,000 SQ FT
PROJECT COST: $15,900,000

The Proctor Building is a classroom and faculty office facility serving the School of Education at North Carolina A&T State University. Designed to replace its outdated and undersized predecessor, the Proctor fulfills the university’s programmatic requirements while visually expressing the mission of the School of Education.  Sited to reinforce NC A&T's campus master plan, the building frames an important gateway onto the university's existing campus green and its planned bell tower plaza.
 
The facility is designed to provide a variety of structured learning environments while also creating spaces that allow for impromptu gatherings. Student and faculty lounges, conference rooms and seating alcoves are distributed along a day-lit circulation path, creating a dynamic interior environment.  This urbane, street-inspired circulation path encourages social interaction and dialogue among faculty, administrators, staff and students.
 
The Proctor Building is composed of two horizontal bars situated on either side of a central atrium, which serves as the building's primary circulation spine.  One bar, containing faculty offices overlooking the central campus quadrangle, features a transparent facade which visually conveys the accessibility and convenience of interaction with staff and faculty. The parallel bar of program space contains classrooms and is more solid in its exterior treatment, sheltering the teaching spaces from the glare of direct sunlight and distractions of busy vehicular and foot traffic on Benbow Road to the east.
   
The building's entrance is framed by the cantilevered classroom bar, which also creates a gateway for all who enter campus from Benbow Road.  The Dean’s suite and other offices are located at the north end of the classroom bar, providing a strong visual connection to the campus green while formally acknowledging the administrative functions.