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

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Wold Architects & Engineers Announces Acquisition of JJCA

    Wold Architects & Engineers, based in Minneapolis, Minn., recently announced that it has acquired JJCA, an architecture firm based in Nashville, Tenn., according to a press release. JJCA specializes in healthcare and education design; the partnership allows both firms to expand their presence across the country while building on existing strengths.