The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Student
Union was recently awarded the Excellence in Design by the American Institute
of Architect’s (AIA) Prairie Illinois Chapter. Completed in 2017, the team of
Dewberry and Workshop Architects planned and designed the new student union.
The new union was designed to create a vibrant,
social environment for students. Programmatic elements were overlapped and
interwoven to serve a variety of different functions and create a continuous
buzz of activity. The Student Leadership Center is located prominently at the
front of the building and features flexible workspaces, meeting areas, and
offices for student government and volunteer groups.
The union also features a ballroom and banquet
facilities for use by both UIS students and the community. Multi-level student
lounge areas weave throughout the building, incorporating a variety of scales
and textures. The campus’s dining facilities were also moved into the new
union, making it a central place for what has traditionally been a commuter
campus.
Another component that creates a sense of
community in the union is how the inside spaces spill out to a new “Student
Life Plaza,” which frames the south end of the main campus quad. It’s a space
in the union that creates opportunity for outdoor programming and large campus
events.
The AIA Prairie Chapter’s design jury stated,
“the project offers a modern, fresh, and spacious interactive space. The
proposed program with flexible work spaces and overlapped activities seems very
appropriate as a social catalyst for students on campus.”
The building was designed to LEED®
Gold guidelines, and features a 25,000-square-foot green roof, energy-efficient
lighting, rainwater reclamation system, and radiant flooring in select areas.
