Aims Community College sought to redefine its Greeley, Colorado commuter campus by creating a vibrant and connected learning environment. The result is a project that supports a strong sense of community and enhances the academic mission and social aspects of campus life. Key objectives transformed the ‘heart’ of the campus, strengthened campus connectivity, and expanded access to purposeful outdoor space. The interventions have created a more dynamic campus environment that enriches the student experience and fosters an enduring sense of community.

An interdisciplinary team led by HCM developed site and architectural solutions in unison. The project spanned a 21-acre area of campus,s including a new 105,000 square feet Welcome Center at the front door of campus, an addition and renovation to the Student Commons Building, and site improvements that transform the greater campus. The landscape architecture team was tasked with defining a new central hub of campus at the Student Commons, developing outdoor amenity space for both the Student Commons and Welcome Center buildings, and providing campus connectivity between these new and existing buildings.