The University of Windsor has selected the team of Amico Design Build and Hariri Pontarini Architects/Architecttura Inc. Architects to build the new Welcome Centre to function as a gateway to the campus. This 18,000 square foot building will be located on the north-east corner of Patricia Avenue and Wyandotte Street, and will invite visitors, future students, donors and returning alumni to explore the ever-changing campus community.

“The Welcome Centre will be the address that captures the lifelong University of Windsor experience, from prospective students through to alumni,” said UWindsor president Alan Wildeman. “It will become the address for the University and a point of pride for our campus and our community. It will be a place from which we tell the stories about the education and scholarly pursuits found at our University, those things for which we are all proud.”

Dominic Amicone, president of Amico Affiliates and a UWindsor grad, said his company is thrilled to have been selected as the successful proponent to bring the Welcome Centre to fruition.

“Our vision is to create a dynamic and memorable pavilion that ties together visitors, alumni, staff and students,” he said. “Our hope is to inspire campus life and alumni success.”

The Welcome Centre will be an iconic two-storey structure housing the offices of Student Admissions and Recruitment; Alumni Affairs and Donor Communications; the University Campaign; Public Affairs and Communications; and Alumni and Donor Records. In addition to administrative offices, it will offer a spacious lobby for campus events, several meeting rooms including a multi-purpose room for larger functions, a bookstore kiosk and a display area for depicting the University’s rich history.

The prominent second storey has been designed as a gently arcing ribbon of white glass that weaves its way around the site to visually connect the original section of main campus with the new Innovation Centre, the parking garage and the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation. Accessible from multiple campus routes, the curvature of the semi-transparent building invites a feeling of openness, giving visitors 360 degree views of the surrounding campus.

Construction of the property will begin within the next month with a completion date expected in the summer of 2015. A total project cost of $8.4 million has been approved for the Welcome Centre, funded through an existing capital budget. Architectural renderings of the new building are available on the project website, www.uwindsor.ca/welcome-centre.