From 2007 to 2017, Harford Community College gained over 1,000 enrolled students, expanded 20 acres, and added five buildings. The growth of this community college is expected to continue, pushing the school to pursue larger, more ambitious projects.

The APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College was created in 2011 as a new multifunctional 2,500-seat arena during the renovation of the existing athletic facility, the Susquehanna Center. The arena’s lighting, acoustics and infrastructure are designed to accommodate multiple activities, such as concerts, lectures, graduation ceremonies, banquets and trade shows. The APG Federal Credit Union projects a new image for the college. The versatility of the complex allows both students of the College and residents of the surrounding communities to utilize the new facility.

Harford wanted to push the design of the complex to the next level without affecting the cohesive image of the campus.

The new arena angles away from the existing building, creating a translucent slot to house the main entry. The arena uses a standard sized ground face block for its skin. The skin is designed to create a large scale pattern, which compliments the building’s scale. The roof is lifted off of the masonry skin by a translucent clerestory. The clerestory accomplishes two important goals, allowing light to flood the interior and also allowing light, color and activity to escape.