University of Illinois

Opportunity: As part of the Ikenberry Commons Master Plan, the University of Illinois sought to construct a new community center with a dining and student programs facility, capable of serving a very large number of students (3,600) with an intimate scale and visibility.  The building is to serve as a gateway to this 32 acre residential neighborhood.

Solution: Designed so that the various programmatic elements are arranged to reduce the scale of the facility and create an entry commons for the entire neighborhood, the dining area is radiated from a central servery with four different size dining rooms.  Other functions such as a library, fitness center, and student activities rooms are provided. The new 144,000 sf Student Dining & Residential Programs Building, replacing two existing dining facilities, will be one of the largest such facilities in the country.

Value: With sustainable features including solar thermal energy, rain gardens, and green roofs, this project sets a new standard for University residential housing, and is pursuing LEED Silver certification.  A new student meeting place has now been created to facilitate face-to-face interaction and collaboration in this digital age.

Team:
Design: Scott Cyphers, Larry Booth
Management: David Mann
Technical: John Birazzi