The Welcome Center at DeSales functions as a gateway to the University and in so doing strives to embody the mission of the educational institution.
Sited at the terminus of the main access road to the campus, The Welcome Center will function as a campus front door for visitors and prospective students.
A 65-foot bell tower anchors the building composition while providing a visual cue for the overall campus. The relatively small building mass is bolstered by a masonry podium, which rises as a counterpoint to the surrounding site.
The primary building component is the glazed mass that soars above the stone plinth. This naturally lit gathering space is anchored by adjoining Study/Workrooms, Interview Rooms, Presentation Rooms and Administration. A pergola along the northern edge of the composition gestures to the spiritual component of the campus as it compresses visitors prior to entering the light filled volume. Conversely, the southern edge of the assemblage features stepped elements which spill onto the landscape and campus beyond inviting students and staff to gather and grow.
