Rooting a renewed spirit of student pride and engagement in physical form through building renovations and placemaking actions
Challenge: The Student Union Building (SUB) had been built in 1969 with minimal renovations done since. As a result it was ill-fit to the modern needs of the Union and was a highly sterile environment that did not showcase the vibrancy of the organization that managed and occupied most of the building.
Response: We approached the challenge in two distinct phases. In phase one we initiated a series of low-cost, small-scale prototyping projects to bring vibrancy to the space, including the creation of community art murals, interactive chalkboard walls, foosball tables, a speaker system for music, and creation of a “wellness room”. In phase two we undertook intensive student consultation and hired an architectural partner to craft a new $6 million master renovation plan for the building that is now in the midst of implementation.
Results:
Over 400 students engaged in a range of consultation processes
Placemaking projects intended as short-term pilots became long-term initiatives that remain hallmarks of the revitalized space
Lydon Lynch hired as architectural partner to guide implementation of the renovation plan
The priorities originally identified formed the basis of the completed renovation which was well received by the university community