College of Education Lobby Renovation

Georgia State University | Atlanta, Georgia

A New Take on Familiar Spaces

The design team was able to capitalize on the good “bones” this 1960s building and lobby had to offer, such as clean lines, marble walls, and terrazzo flooring, all of which remained a design aesthetic upon which to build. Part of the makeover consisted of brightening up the entrances at the front and back doors and introducing warm interior elements into the space. The existing front entry canopy and a new rear canopy were painted “GSU blue” to provide an expressed “welcome” to the College of Education building. Flat-screen monitors were mounted on custom poles and faculty-designed graphics were placed on MDF panels located on each side of the front entry. These visual components draw visitors and students alike from the street through this exciting, revived lobby. 

A former classroom was transformed into a student lounge and created an informal gathering area adjacent to the lobby. Private internet workstations, comfortable seating areas, and a custom cork-clad feature wall with a large banquette offer multiple places for the students to relax and flourish in this educational environment. Wood ceiling tiles with pendant light fixtures added warmth and sculptural forms to the space. Wood veneer pilasters add a timeless aesthetic to the existing marble columns and elevator lobby walls. A fun, vibrant yet classic palette of blues, greens, and browns play off of a clean, white envelope throughout the lobby and student lounge culminating in a playful vending area.