Florida State is Building a New Student Union

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida State University (FSU) is moving ahead with an ambitious plan to take down Oglesby Union and build a new one that incorporates FSU tradition, while elevating the look and feel of the entire campus. The new four-story Oglesby Union will feature a visionary style, including sleek glass walls, comfortable outdoor seating, state-of-the-art technology, and many of the venues students have grown to know and love. A bigger and better FSU Campus Bookstore will feature prominently in the facility, along with new ballrooms, study and leisure areas, spaces for meetings and student groups, and new food venues.

Florida State University Student Union

“It’s going to be transformative,” says Oglesby Union director Matt Ducatt, who has been collaborating with a team of design and construction experts. “It’s going to be a great facility for our campus and students.”

The new Oglesby Union will be larger than the previous facility, including nearly 300,000 square feet of space, and introduce a lively new sports-themed restaurant, as well as a half dozen new food operations. Ducatt said the redesigned union will be laid out with a smarter, more efficient design, making it easier to get around and enjoy outdoor amenities.

The design was developed by a partnership between Architects Lewis+Whitlock of Tallahassee and Workshop Architects of Milwaukee. The team has extensive experience with university construction projects. Construction will be led by the Ajax Building Corporation.

Featured

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

Digital Edition