Like a coral stone outcropping rising from the Floridian shoreline, the 74,000-square-foot L. Gale Lemerand student center at Daytona State College establishes an iconic presence to the campus along the main arterial road connecting the famed Daytona beachfront with the rest of Florida.

The organically curving stone and bronze wall faces the road and embraces the visitor like two outreached arms forming a landscaped welcome lawn at the campus entry. Rising from the center of the gently curving wall is a bronze portal framing the opening to the student center and giving passage to the main quadrangle and campus beyond. Internally a three-story commons overlooks the quadrangle and serves as the campus living room. Dining, a coffee shop, gaming lounge, and group study rooms ring the student center commons. An amphitheater on the second and third floors cantilevers into the commons and looks out onto the campus quadrangle.

The amphitheater provides a theatrical experience giving students the ability to see and be seen, thereby reinforcing a sense of community, and belonging. Other program components housed in the student center include a 500-person events center, student club and organization offices and workspace, classrooms, career services, the writing center and the College library. The educational and recreational programs enhance student life at Daytona State College and provide critical support services for transition to the work force. 

The center is designed as a high performance two Green Globe facility. Custom bronze perforated solar screens are veiled over large, glazed areas of the south and west facades to limit heat gain and glare while allowing views outward. Additionally, a ventilated bronze rain screen reduces heat gain in the harsh Florida sun. Other sustainable strategies include the use of pre- and post-consumer recycled materials, reclaimed rainwater, photo optic lighting, and high-efficiency heating ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Material Used :
Facade cladding: Precast Concrete, Coquina Stone, Bronze
Flooring: Terrazzo | Carpet: Shaw Carpet | Tile: Daltile
Windows: West Tampa Glass
Roofing: Soprima Roofing
Paint: Benjamin Moore

Interior lighting:
Focal Point ID+ 4.5 Trimless LED Downlight
Focal Point Linear Direct/Indirect Pendant with Aircraft Cable Suspension
Juno Trac 12 LED Spotlights
Amerlux 3” & 5” Aperture LED Downlights
Tech Lighting – Luminous LED Sphere Pendant
Exitronix – Exit Signs

Interior furniture:  
Artopex – Various Workstations and Pedestal Files
Dauphin – Cempa Side Chair, Cempa Counter Height Stool
Encore Seating – Signal Guest Chair, Whim Task Chair
ERG – Raven Modular Lounge Group Seating
Haworth – Compose Workstations
Keilhauer – Ponder Lounge Chair, Juxta Lounge Chair, Sway Lounge Chair
KI – Lyra Lounge Chair, Library Carrels, MyWay Lounge Chair, MyPlace Lounge Group Seating, Warton Lectern, Pirouette Fixed Table, Pirouette Training Table
Krug – NuvoConferene Table
SitOnIt – Amplify Task Chair, Torsa Task Chair, Wit Task Chair, Rio Task Chair, Rio Task Stool, Rio Stacking Chair, Focus Side Chair
Spacesaver – Library Shelving

Elevator: Schindler Elevator Corporation
Window Shades: Mechoshade