A life-size model of the bachelor suites to fill Red Deer College’s new residence is giving designers a chance to modify the space based on input from students and others.
On Wednesday Minister of Advanced Education Marlin Schmidt toured the demonstration suite located in RDC’s Four Centres building.
The $18-million, five-storey residence will be built in time for athletes attending the 2019 Canada Winter Games to be held in Red Deer from Feb. 15 to March 3.
“As we try to figure out where plugs belong, is the closet big enough, do we have this designed correctly — we’re able to make those decisions in a live environment and it’s been really great to make the rooms a lot more functional at the end of the day,” said Trent Rix, RDC’s director of ancillary and sports services, on Wednesday.
The suites each have a full kitchen and full bathroom. Similar to micro houses, the furniture will be built in, he said.
“Everything is integrated into the unit.”
He said until now most of the residences at RDC have been built with individual bedrooms and a shared living space.
“We’ve been really lacking in the bachelor-style unit and that’s really where the demand has been. People want to have their private space and socialize on their own terms.”
But there will be social spaces in the building so people can spend time together, he said.
The new residence, with a total of 145 suites, is under construction at 100 College Blvd. in the northwest portion of RDC lands, south of the West Park neighbourhood.
Rix said the fifth floor is being framed and it should be a fully weather-tight building by the middle of summer when three vertical sides of the building will also be totally covered in solar panels.
He said the 122 smaller units with single beds will also include a murphy bed to double the capacity during the Winter Games and for when the college hosts events like sports camps.
The entire athlete’s village for the games will be on the college campus. Existing four-bedroom units in residences will each be converted with bunk beds to house 10 athletes.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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