Oklahoma State University is a long-time client of ours, and we’ve had the opportunity to design many important projects on the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses. One of our most challenging projects was the renovation and adaptive reuse of Murray Hall, which converted a nearly 80-year-old dormitory into a modern, multi-use academic building. That historic building was demanding enough, but OSU had yet another complex project waiting in the wings for us—the renovation and expansion of the Student Union.

In January, after 2.5 years of design and construction, students began using their spacious new Student Union, transformed by a 200,000-square-foot renovation and the addition of 38,000 square feet of new space. Together with Workshop Architects and a talented team of consultants, we helped bring new life to an aging, circa-1950 building that lacked functionality, natural light, and student appeal. The bookstore was too small, the food service was limited, building systems were out-of-date, and the spaces were inefficient. Perhaps most importantly, there was not enough space for students to gather and socialize. Still, the Student Union was an iconic building, and OSU sought to preserve its legacy.

The newly renovated building, which is designed to LEED Gold^® certification standards, incorporates many vast improvements. There is a convenient and expansive new bookstore and an inviting area for dining and food service that includes offerings from ten restaurants. The most dramatic change is reflected in the spaces for Campus Life. Student offices that had once been hidden away in a dark basement environment are now housed in a highly visible and open pavilion, creating a more engaging center for student activities.

Transforming the dark and compartmentalized building into a vibrant and transparent environment presented major technical challenges. There were many code-compliance issues to address given the age of the Student Union. For example, incorporating a new fire protection system that would serve the renovated building, with its large and open gathering spaces, required a complex solution. Our team’s fire protection consultant, Poole Fire Protection, devised an “Engineered Alternative,” a robust, “supercharged” system of sprinklers that met the requirements. It’s one of many examples of how the team rose to the unique challenges of this project.

In addition to the team’s hard work and commitment, there is another reason the Student Union has been so successful. Early on, we worked with an energetic and creative group of students, who brought their insights and ideas to planning workshops and design meetings. Their input, together with the university’s clear vision for the building, was vital to setting the design direction. As I walk through the Student Union today, I see evidence of their involvement in the welcoming pavilion with its many student activities, and in the popular, two-level outdoor plaza and amphitheater on the north side of the building. The student leaders who participated in the planning process recognized the vital role that the Student Union plays on the OSU campus, and their time and commitment to its transformation helped ensure its success.