Bockus Payne worked with the Francis Tuttle Technology Center to complete their Danforth Campus in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Bockus Payne, an interdisciplinary architecture, and design firm, and Francis Tuttle Technology Center, one of the premier career training schools in the state of Oklahoma, are pleased to announce the completion of the Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus, in Edmond, OK.

As outlying communities continue to grow, the demand for access to affordable education and training follows. Francis Tuttle’s desire to continue its reach and expand class offerings resulted in a new campus in Edmond, OK. The 155,000-square-foot academic building consists of two stories dedicated to core classes and student support areas that articulate a proud industrial yet refined environment in support of the innovative solutions necessary to inform 21st-century students.

Bockus Payne designed a building that not only supports the needs of the diverse student population but also those of the local community. Classes in Entrepreneurship, Engineering, Biosciences and Medicine, Computer Science, Pre-Nursing, Cosmetology, Automotive Service Technology, and Interactive Media serve a wide range of student interests. Additionally, the building houses a business incubator, seminar and training spaces for conferences, continuing education, and corporate training. The program is carefully designed to ensure each curriculum type has its own identity and spatial requirements, while melding cohesively under one roof.

The building itself is identifiable with the goal of attracting, retaining, and educating future leaders. At first glance, the split-level building is set back from the main road, nestled into a site that drops 55 feet’ from the northwest corner to the southwest corner. This helps to minimize the impact of the height of the building on the adjacent residential neighborhoods surrounding the site. The exterior materials are honest in nature—a mixture of wood, concrete, and stone that flow naturally into the interior of the building. Simple, Oklahoma-centered landscaping was carefully selected to complement the building design.

Francis Tuttle sought to create a facility that encourages and facilitates the Design Thinking process, an approach that centers on the principles of empathy, expansive thinking, and experimentation. To do this Francis Tuttle envisioned learning spaces like campfires (for open learning and collaboration), watering holes (that encourages reorientation between students learning from each other), and caves (to isolate and challenge oneself). To accomplish this, the design is highly flexible. Classrooms offer several furniture group selections and layouts to foster small group collaboration and individual learning. Glass entries at all classrooms and labs reveal the activities inside, making spaces come alive. Classrooms are open to corresponding labs so educational concepts can be quickly demonstrated. Two Design Thinking Studios enable students to explore concepts and work on projects. Nooks in the corridor provide space for small group discussion.

Francis Tuttle’s modern, clean interior is inviting and durable, with exposed natural elements that inspire creative and inquisitive minds. The exploration of full-spectrum color and a variety of energized shapes and angles invite the user to manipulate their environment by moving the furniture and writing on the walls—engagement to the fullest. Bockus Payne’s design embodies the school’s goals and supports the development of a thriving incoming workforce.

Design: Bockus Payne
Photography: Justin Miers