Midwestern epicenter enhances skills of first responders, symbolizes regional and national safety
College of DuPage’s Homeland Security Education Center is an epicenter for multi-jurisdictional training in the Midwest. It is designed to prepare first responders for international and domestic terrorist acts, as well as man-made and natural disasters. The 60,000-square-foot facility houses the College of DuPage’s Criminal Justice and Fire Science Technology programs, as well as the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy and the COD Police Department.
The lobby outside the auditorium displays a 1,000-pound I-beam from one of the fallen World Trade Center Towers, along with images and quotes related to the tragedy. In the north corridor, display cases built into a crenelated wall house historical emergency response memorabilia.
The owner wanted a facility solid enough to support its function, yet distinctive enough to get noticed. Designers achieved this by housing the building in a rectangular mass with height, color, and material differences. Cost-effective metal panels reflect the industrial look of nearby facilities and draw attention to the center. The panels use three shades of blue-green to suggest technological innovation and blend with the natural surroundings. Undulating walls of glass and metal distinguish the facility, pique curiosity, and enhance acoustic performance. Legat collaborated with Brubaker Design on this project.
Project Awards
LEED-NC certified, U.S. Green Building Council
Best Higher Education/Research Project, ENR Midwest
Project of the Year, New Construction – Suburbs, Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO)
Finalist, Patron of the Year Award, Chicago Architecture Foundation
The Homeland Security Education Center is designed as a model facility that other institutions, architects, and construction firms throughout the nation are likely to reference.
Laboratory Design
The product of a great deal of planning and cooperation between college departments and administrators, outside police and fire departments, and the A/E/C team, the center has emerged as a proving ground in tactical response.
Illinois Municipal Review
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A Sense of Security: First-of-its-kind Education Center Trains First Responders
