Designing a campus that drives technology-forward education and workforce development

Wake Technical Community College Eastern Wake Campus Master Plan

As North Carolina’s largest community college, Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) serves over 74,000 students annually across six campuses, three training centers, and extensive online learning opportunities. For their newest campus Eastern Wake 4.0, Wake Tech wanted to strengthen partnerships with local industry, the surrounding community, and nearby academic institutions, fostering an innovation-driven learning environment. Wake Tech partnered with our designers and campus planners to support this vision.

Inspired by Industry 4.0, Wake Tech envisioned a campus that reflects the next industrial revolution by integrating 5G, cloud computing, smart manufacturing, and the Internet of Things into academic and workforce training programs. The resulting campus plan prioritizes student experience, environmental stewardship, and smart growth, with seven buildings organized around a central academic core.

At the heart of the campus, a helix-shaped quad creates a walkable academic center designed to support collaboration and hands-on learning. Framed by academic buildings and courtyards, the quad is anchored by an Innovation Pavilion that serves as a hub for research, instruction, and community engagement.

Designed with pedestrian-first connectivity in mind, the quad features interwoven pathways while limiting day-to-day vehicular traffic to create a safe and active campus environment. Service vehicles are accommodated through designated access points, while general traffic is directed to the loop road and perimeter parking to preserve the collegiate character and support social interaction.

The plan strengthens connections between student spaces and the surrounding landscape, with expansive views toward the wetland to the east that reinforce Wake Tech’s commitment to environmental integration and well-being. Together, the quad and campus framework support academic collaboration, reinforce campus identity, and provide a flexible foundation for future growth.As North Carolina’s largest community college, Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) serves over 74,000 students annually across six campuses, three training centers, and extensive online learning opportunities. For their newest campus Eastern Wake 4.0, Wake Tech wanted to strengthen partnerships with local industry, the surrounding community, and nearby academic institutions, fostering an innovation-driven learning environment. Wake Tech partnered with our designers and campus planners to support this vision.

Inspired by Industry 4.0, Wake Tech envisioned a campus that reflects the next industrial revolution by integrating 5G, cloud computing, smart manufacturing, and the Internet of Things into academic and workforce training programs. The resulting campus plan prioritizes student experience, environmental stewardship, and smart growth, with seven buildings organized around a central academic core.

At the heart of the campus, a helix-shaped quad creates a walkable academic center designed to support collaboration and hands-on learning. Framed by academic buildings and courtyards, the quad is anchored by an Innovation Pavilion that serves as a hub for research, instruction, and community engagement.

Designed with pedestrian-first connectivity in mind, the quad features interwoven pathways while limiting day-to-day vehicular traffic to create a safe and active campus environment. Service vehicles are accommodated through designated access points, while general traffic is directed to the loop road and perimeter parking to preserve the collegiate character and support social interaction.

The plan strengthens connections between student spaces and the surrounding landscape, with expansive views toward the wetland to the east that reinforce Wake Tech’s commitment to environmental integration and well-being. Together, the quad and campus framework support academic collaboration, reinforce campus identity, and provide a flexible foundation for future growth.