Harford Community College’s expanded new construction Chesapeake Welcome Center is a lesson in Architectural identity
HCC Chesapeake Welcome Center Rendering
With construction nearly two-thirds complete, the new Chesapeake Welcome Center at Harford Community College (HCC) in Maryland is coming together, one puzzle piece at a time. Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects designed the building renovations and additions, which expands on and improves upon the existing outdated building to serve the needs of campus food service, theatrical productions, student services, and conference events.
“In the end, the interior flow will be an engaging experience for students and all different types of people in the community,” said Frank Dittenhafer II, President of Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects.
A multi-phase Architectural and construction dance
The final expanded Chesapeake Welcome Center will be around 70,000 square feet and include student services offices, a large conference center, a 400-seat theater, a 2,000-square-foot art gallery, and the campus central kitchen.
Since HCC needed to keep its campus food hub active during construction, the first phase of the project centered around ensuring food service could move into its new space with minimal disruption. Kitchens, storage, offices, and loading docks were all completed, inspected, approved and ultimately occupied in Autumn 2024.
By that time, the second phase was already underway, working on all areas of the site outside of the original food service footprint. That includes the new theater, financial aid, and an array of other student services destinations. We anticipate the second phase will be complete by August, allowing the student community to occupy it by the subsequent school year.
The final phase of construction will be the conference center, which will occupy the original food service footprint.
It’s crucial that students don’t exist in a vacuum from the broader Harford County community, and this building enables that. Moreover, it serves as a public gateway for prospective students and their families to better envision life at HCC.
An emboldened identity
Where the existing Chesapeake Welcome Center failed to capitalize on a strong identity and very visible campus location, the new building succeeds. “It’s attractive, communicating that there are interesting and important programs within the building. We struck a balance between the uniqueness of the four main quadrants—food service, conference center, theater, and student services—but also knit them together within a cohesive identity that’s not completely foreign to the existing campus,” said Dittenhafer.
Noteworthy design elements include smooth, tapered, and ribbed metal panels of varying profiles and colors, varying heights throughout the building interior circulation areas, a combination of brick and campus stone, and a cohesive network of pathways that connect you to destinations throughout the building. When all is said and done, Dittenhafer said, “It’ll be a rich experience, but not overwhelming.” Here, he refers to the building’s big picture perspective but also the feeling of experiencing the space on a personal level. Even from the roadside, the building is very visible, and it will make a true “welcome center” statement.
Ultimately, the 70,000-square-foot, $44 million project promises to bolster, but not totally redefine, HCC in a way that propels the college into the future while honoring its nearly 70-year history as an education hub. More than anything, this renovation and new construction expansion will offer connections for students, faculty, staff, and the broader community who visit—whatever the reason may be.
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Harford Community College’s expanded new construction Chesapeake Welcome Center is a lesson in Architectural identity