International Centre & English Language Program

The International Centre (IC) at Lakehead University provides a welcoming and supportive space for students from around the world enrolled in the English Language Program (ELP) to study, grow, and foster relationships on campus. 

The goal for the IC was to create a student services hub that doubled as a gathering place where students of diverse nationalities and cultures could forge a community grounded in mutual respect, understanding, and friendship. Working within the footprint of a former library, we were tasked with converting the existing space into a flexible environment that accommodates both structured and unstructured educational and social activities for students, staff, and faculty. Together, the purpose-built IC and ELP spaces place an emphasis on social interactions as a means of accelerating language studies and community building. 

The program includes classrooms, administrative spaces, lounge areas, and support spaces. The plan is organized as a loop, with student-centric spaces facing south and administrative and support spaces located on the north side of the large ground-floor site. The key challenges were to bring daylight into the deep floor plate, simplify wayfinding, and provide flexible yet efficient spaces. We considered modern learning and study needs carefully to provide visitors with quiet private spaces as well as shared public zones in a design that anticipates future growth and opportunities for reconfiguration. Classrooms were located on the building’s periphery to maximize views to the outdoors and bring in natural light while the lounge was placed near high-traffic areas to encourage impromptu meetings and connections. In anticipation of ELP’s ongoing growth, we grouped classrooms adjacent to one another to allow for their easy combination or subdivision at a future date, if required.

We also prioritized creative approaches to circulation to spark unexpected opportunities for dialogue and exchange as individuals flow through the various spaces. Furnishings along the corridors, for example, encourage informal gathering in the spirit of a “linear lounge.” In the context of an academic environment in which English is often students’ second language, it was important to create pockets of common space to encourage spontaneous interactions and social cohesion. The design of flexible and functional circulation spaces provides opportunities for students to meet and socialize and a variety of venues for informal studying and learning among peers.