HMC Architects has been selected to design Southwestern College’s Gateway Building and Building 68 Renovation on its Chula Vista campus. Collectively known as the Gateway Project, the approximately 73,000-square-foot effort will create a more welcoming, accessible, and connected student services environment.

The new 40,000-square-foot Gateway Building will establish a highly visible front door to the campus, consolidating the college’s bookstore, human resources, financial services, and administration in one location. Designed to make essential resources easier to find and navigate, the building will prioritize intuitive wayfinding, flexible service delivery, daylight, and a strong connection to the surrounding campus.

The adjacent 33,000-square-foot renovation of Building 68 will transform the legacy facility into a modern, student-centered service hub. Improvements will include flexible service areas and private consultation spaces that support personalized assistance and confidentiality. The project will also convert the existing bus drop-off area into a dedicated paratransit zone, improving safety and universal access.

HMC’s approach will be grounded in inclusive engagement and an integrated restorative action plan that acknowledges the land’s layered history and the college’s evolving relationship with the Kumeyaay community.

“This win reflects HMC’s commitment to listening deeply, honoring the site’s layered history, and engaging the communities connected to it,” said Peter Erni, HMC’s higher education principal-in-charge. “We look forward to translating that understanding into a design that strengthens belonging and creates a more welcoming, meaningful experience for Southwestern College students.”

HMC will serve as the design architect and architect of record. Predesign engagement with Southwestern College interest-holders will begin in September 2026.