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LaSalle College Vancouver and the Molnar Group have partnered to build Vancouver’s most state-of-the-art creative industries campus, where future generations of art, media, culinary and design industry leaders will make their start.
For 65 years in Montreal and 25 years in Vancouver, LaSalle College Vancouver has been making career dreams come true, fuelling the growth of British Columbia’s booming art, media, culinary and design industries. In parallel, the Molnar Group, a Canadian family business, has spent the last 50 years creating beautifully finished homes across the Pacific Northwest. What do they have in common? Building community in the most foundational way: education and homes. Can you think of more fundamental and meaningful ways to build community than to give people a home and an education?
The impact is significant: The college has graduated over 20,000 learners and the Molner Group has completed more than 100 projects and built 8,400 homes. Now, they’ve brought their experience and skills to a capstone project: LaSalle College Vancouver’s new campus. More than a school, LaSalle College Vancouver’s campus will become a gathering place for students from around the world, and for designers and artists who want to be a part of the magic taking place in Vancouver’s creative sector.
Both family-owned businesses were committed to building something special together. This building was crafted with insight from staff, students and architectural experts. It has met rigorous environmental standards through LEED, wellness certification through FitWel, and accessibility design with the Rick Hansen Foundation. This is the only higher education facility in Canada with all three certifications. LaSalle College Vancouver is a truly unique learning space that has a low carbon footprint, is healthy for people, and is open and accessible to all abilities.
Technology, active learning and social engagement come together in the 108,000-square-foot, seven-storey building, each level faceted in floor-to-ceiling glass. A sprawling atrium reveals an ultra-modern suspended classroom floating above the common area. A dual-purpose lecture theatre and sound stage will house digital film, gaming and film classes, while serving as the ideal stage for welcoming the next cohort of creatives, graduations and unforgettable events. A gaming lounge in the learning commons will be the envy of gamers across Canada.
As one of only four schools in the country that offers a degree in fashion design, the campus will boast several makerspaces—ateliers to entice students hungry for experiential learning to dabble, build and explore creative collaboration. A seventh-floor rooftop meditation garden featuring Indigenous art will offer students and faculty a place to relax and find inspiration amid the buzz of the culinary department’s budding chefs, growing their own herbs, fruits and vegetables to harvest and prepare in the campus’s very own fine-dining restaurant—all while taking in the breathtaking views of the North Shore mountains.
As a member of LCI Education, LaSalle College traces its roots back to Montreal, where it was founded in 1959. LCI Education would go on to open Canada’s first fashion and design school before becoming a global network of 12 schools, with 23 campuses across 5 continents. LCI Education is rated one of Canada’s best-managed companies and holds innovation as a key pillar of its DNA, so taking a unique approach is nothing new.
Scheduled for completion in 2024, the new campus—Molnar Group’s most modern and carbon efficient project to date—will be more than just state-of-the art. The heart of this project is about two Canadian, family-owned businesses coming together to transform the future of creative education and say to future artists, designers, entrepreneurs and visionaries everywhere: “Welcome home”.
It all comes back to the learner at the heart of the education experience. LaSalle College Vancouver is providing a space to study, grow and create lasting friendships and professional relationships students can carry through their career.
Whether you’re dreaming of designing games, fashion, inspired interiors or compelling graphics, getting into the magic of the film industry, culinary delights, producing the next chart-topping single or becoming known for your own incredible restaurant one day, this could be where your creative future begins. If you want to be a part of the first cohort to enter the new campus or discover more about the path to becoming a creative leader, an admissions expert is ready to help you take your next steps.
Ready to follow your dreams? Visit lasallecollegevancouver.com to learn more.
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