Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The University of North Dakota: Wilkerson Commons

  • 11/01/16
University of North Dakota: Wilkerson Commons

PHOTOS © COREY GAFFER AND LONNIE LAFFEN

The University of North Dakota (UND) has reopened the doors to the largest food service area on campus after completely renovating the 46-year-old Wilkerson Hall — now Wilkerson Commons — to create a center for student gathering that revolutionizes production efficiencies.

The 21,000-square-foot transformation by JLG Architects and Solomon Cordwell Buenz provides new features for students based on UND’s strategic priorities: Experience, Gather, Collaborate, Expand, Enhance. In the main dining area eight display cooking stations prepare expanded fresh options, and monitors to illustrate healthy cooking techniques flank a chef’s demonstration cooking platform.

The $4 million kitchen and servery include 11 walk-in coolers that monitor the temperature of the individual food in the freezers to help the staff track how products are affected during high-traffic times, as well as specialty equipment such as a meat slicer that lets staff cut protein in three hours, rather than 20. All of the school’s produce can be washed in a single location in a fraction of the time, and the cook-chill equipment makes hundreds of gallons of pastas and chilis and brings them back down to a cooled state in less than two hours. Says Orlynn Rosaasen, director of Dining Services, “There wasn’t a model for this type of kitchen anywhere else. We are setting the trend.”

Multiple study areas provide quiet locations for individuals, meeting rooms for larger groups, and a high-tech Innovation Lab that allows immersive interaction for students to create, share and learn. The food service and dining services are augmented by a C-store and coffee bar that flank a stage and entertainment space.

Says Lori Reesor, vice president of Student Affairs, “In the past, Wilkerson Hall was the building you went through to get somewhere else. But the new Wilkerson serves as a magnet — drawing students, faculty and staff together.”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Back-to-School Playground Safety: 7 Common Hazards to Look for After Summer Break

    As summer break comes to an end, school administrators have plenty to prepare before students return. While classrooms, hallways and common areas often receive attention during all the back-to-school preparations, the playground should not be overlooked. Months of weather exposure, storms, and regular wear can leave behind hazards that may not be immediately noticeable.

  • Montclair State University Starts Construction on $120M STEM Building

    Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J., recently broke ground on a new $120-million Interdisciplinary Science Building, according to university news. The university partnered with HoK Architects for the project’s design, and it’s scheduled to open in time for the 2028–29 academic year.

  • DLR Group Hires Three for Higher Education Practice

    Integrated design firm DLR Group recently announced that it has brought three new hires on board to help shape its higher education practice in California and the northeast, according to a press release.