Slippery Rock University has an enrollment of approximately 7,600 students. The students, realizing the need for a true student centered campus facility passed a referendum to increase fees in support of a new student union.
The new student union creates a programmatic and visual hub for student life and community outreach. Centrally located between residential and academic areas of campus, the building is designed as the natural path for students going to and from class.
At the foot of a forested hillside, the union cuts a dramatic figure against the landscape while the building’s materiality and program connect the academic and residential districts. Terraces and retaining walls clad in light brick define the building’s base and relate to the adjacent student residences. The upper levels of the building, visible from the academic quadrangle, feature brown copper panels, laminated wood, and glazed curtain walls.
The lobby and lounges, designed in bold colors animate the primary circulation path. Dining, retail areas, student organizations and services, administrative offices, and a conference complex all radiate from the path. This circulation configuration recreates the experience of the site’s hillside as stairs lead through the building from bustling areas to quieter, contemplative spaces.
The project successfully reached its LEED® NC 2009 Silver goal.
View Original