In April 2024, the Wake Tech Community College East Campus celebrated their grand opening, opening the campus gateway to faculty, staff, and future students. The new campus will offer university transfer degrees and specialized programs, at an associate level, in engineering, public safety, and aviation. Comprised of the General Education Building, Public Safety Simulation Complex, Advanced Technology Center, and Central Energy Plant, each facility plays a vital role in skill building. Before the campus came into fruition, Surface 678 and other partners in the architectural/ engineering industry collaborated vigorously to envision a sophisticated, state-of-the-art campus suitable for setting in motion students’ college educations.
At the start of site development, our team began analysis and identification of the user. From the start, we recognized that the needs of students and staff were unique considering the college’s available degree options. Through studies and analysis, Surface 678 concluded Wake Tech East’s outdoor environments should foster academic development, social connectivity, and creativity. During design, it was apparent the campus demanded clear circulation systems and dedicated spaces for outdoor learning, social activity, and training areas for public safety students. Other goals for the campus included an ambitious stride toward sustainability and green energy, integrating systems such as rainwater swales, habitat creation, permeable paving, urban-tree soil cells, and solar energy. In turn, the campus has gained immediate recognition by the Green Building Initiative through achieving the GBI’s highest rating.
GENERAL EDUCATION BUILDING
As the first building to be completed on campus, the General Education Building stands as the main hub on campus, nourishing innovative student learning for associates of the arts, sciences, and engineering. The proposed 110,000 square foot building houses student necessities such as food services, main library, learning centers, and Auditorium space. Based on programming developed by WTCC, Surface provided site analysis, site design, and permitting assistance for the site’s bus drop-off, entry plaza, south terrace, “helix walk,” pathways, and pedestrian circulation.
Additionally, the site includes several sustainability and safety features. The main GEB building showcases a beautiful rooftop garden full of native plantings, providing a tranquil space for students, staff, and faculty to utilize for study, small gatherings, and relaxation. At Surface, we strive to implement green roofs where possible as they not only serve as an amenity space but also a haven for pollinators in addition to decreasing building temperatures by several degrees. Other features include bioretention gardens accompanied by permeable pavement parking lots, EV parking spaces, and natural turf fire lanes.
CENTRAL ENERGY PLANT
The design for the central energy plant “recognizes excellence in sustainable, healthy, and resilient design,” as stated by the Green Building Initiative. Marking the first project in the state of North Carolina to achieve four Green Globes, the 12,000 +/- GSF building serves as the support hub for sustainable energy technologies, including the deployment of the latest geothermal and solar technologies for the campus. The project scope also includes the installation of roads, bridges, and access points as well as the construction of appropriate site drainage and retention ponds to support the first phase of development. Designed, built, and sized to accommodate future development, Wake Tech intends to maximize the use of these advanced, green technologies.
INDUSTRY 4.0 BUILDING
Projected to open in spring 2026, the Advanced Technology (Industry 4.0) Building will join the campus as the official state-of-the-art engineering and advanced manufacturing education center. Housing the Biopharmaceutical Technology AAS degree program and ECU’s Bachelor of Science Industrial Technology program, aspiring students will be immersed in a uniquely simulated work environment. Other supported programs include Mechanical Engineering, Geomatics, Advanced Electronics, Mechatronics (Robotics/Automation), Biopharmaceuticals, Bio-Agriculture, Tower Erection and Repair, and Unmanned Aircraft Operations and Repair. To accommodate such programs, the building is comprised of 80,000 SF of flexible teaching and technology labs, high-bay training spaces, and classrooms. Surface 678 provided site analysis and concept design services for on-site programming such as stormwater, pedestrian circulation, vehicular circulation, and public transportation systems.
PUBLIC SAFETY & FIRE RESCUE TRAINING COMPLEX
In July 2023, the Surface 678 teamed with HH Architects to design the campus’s Fire and Rescue Training Complex. The site will host immersive, reality-based scenario training through the use of a 4D village featuring a multi-story drill training tower, fire training simulator, and EMS ambulance bay for Emergency Medical Science AAS program students. These training complexes will supply emergency medical technicians, Advance EMT, and Paramedic students with necessary skills for real life, pre-hospital situations. Additional training for EMS students includes an outdoor track for emergency vehicle and motorcycle training. Alongside the EMS practice tracks, a state-of-the-art drone pavilion will be utilized by the ECSU Unmanned Aircraft Systems training program.
The campus will begin welcoming students onto campus for WTCC East’s first ever semester in August 2024. Active programs on campus include Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate in Engineering, and Associate in Applied Science, Emergency Medical Sciences. Partnered with East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State University, programs will also invite students to take preparatory courses in Industrial Technology and Aviation & Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Surface 678 is proud to partake in crafting the outdoor landscapes and spaces that will become a part of the WTCC student experience. Overall, the Wake Tech East Campus will guide and prepare Public Safety, engineers, and aviation leaders of the future!