Highlands College

Highlands College transformed the former HealthSouth headquarters building into a state-of-the-art education center. This new facility aims to create holistic learning experiences in a setting that provides more flexibility than a traditional classroom. Ample social space, learning studios, and practicum areas were provided to encourage relational connections and collaborative learning. Aesthetically, the modern facility combines organic textures with vibrant colors and patterns to create an exciting, welcoming ambiance that also reinforces the organization’s brand identity.

Due to the nature of student life, furniture selections were extremely important and strategic. Determining how each piece would be utilized by students was a central consideration. To ensure that each piece of furniture met comfort and durability standards, samples of every proposed seating product were provided for sit tests prior to final selections. Although this is a fairly uncommon practice, it was exactly what Highlands needed to feel confident in their furniture solutions. The budget was also extremely aggressive so accomplishing all the furniture objectives proved challenging, but was successfully achieved. Overall, the design is extremely effective at creating an engaging learning environment that supports the needs of the current student body while remaining poised for future growth.