Confidential
On the Boards
This dining hall for 8,000 undergraduates is the hub for meals throughout the day. It is located adjacent to the main food servery where hot meals are served and self-serve entree, salad, and desert stations are located.
We were asked to provide a vision for the space that would engage the historic details of the room with an inviting dining environment for a range of student groups and sizes. The existing traditional wood moulding, plaster, and leaded glass motifs became graphic themes in the new design; we developed architectural and lighting concepts to enhance the grand experience of being in a historic double height space, and organized the seating into distinct “neighborhoods” that give students a sense of ease and comfort while navigating the room, sitting alone or in groups, and finding friends. The uplifting atmosphere of the design serves as a welcoming experiential counterpoint to the rigors of a student’s academic schedule.
Banquette seating along the window wall perimeter provides a beautiful backdrop for those who want to be near natural light and outdoor landscape views. Tables can be moved together or apart along the banquettes to fit the size of the group. Views to the refurbished patio seating connect indoor and outdoor student activity.
New planter partitions serve as bar seating destinations, and frame the inner core of the dining hall; the core hosts a series of eight-person round tables. These tables are popular for larger dining groups as well as a place for club and sports team meetings.
The inner core faces a new Chef’s Station that is used to highlight and serve special meals prepared by guest chefs from the local community. Monthly cooking demonstrations take place at the Chef’s Station, and student clubs use the station for bake sales and other food-related cultural events that are shared with the entire undergraduate community.
The renovation includes a new HVAC system for the servery and the dining area to improve air-conditioning performance in the warmer months. We developed an air distribution strategy that minimally impacts the aesthetic experience of the architectural details.