University of North Georgia (UNG), Gainesville Campus Renovation, Nursing Program Addition - Gainesville, Georgia

In 2019, the University of North Georgia was the recipient of the former Lanier Technical College campus that resided directly adjacent to UNG’s existing campus. The 165,000 SF technical college campus had been vacated approximately 18 months prior and needed a complete overhaul. Pond was selected to provide programming, full design, and construction administration services.

Through careful planning and execution, the campus has been completely transformed and now provides a state of the art one-stop shop: learning commons; nursing simulation suites; visual-arts program spaces; continuing education; film and digital media sound stages and classrooms; faculty suites; college-wide information technology server infrastructure; student health center; and food-services – all within the confines of a former technical college campus built in the 1960’s. Through creative design responses and structural solutions, the team created a more open and welcoming facility that is unrecognizable from its past. This inventive approach has breathed new life into this facility and campus.

The new nursing simulation lab is located inside the renovated Health Sciences building. The lab resembles real hospital rooms including a labor and delivery room. All are equipped with human-style simulators that can talk, blink, and cry.

The design team focused on creating spaces which function as a central hub of social opportunity. These spaces engage students and bring everyone who enters onto the same page in a collaborative and welcoming environment. Early planning by the team paid off with over $700,000 of construction contingency being returned to the owner for their use in incorporating additional building upgrades, site renovations, and technology enhancements. The additional scope was delivered on schedule and on budget within the existing project timeline.