Erb Memorial Union, University of Oregon - Expansion & Renovation

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

Erb Memorial Union Expansion & Renovation

[ Eugene, Oregon ]

PROJECT

Erb Memorial Union Expansion & Renovation, University of Oregon LOCATION

Eugene, Oregon

AC Martin, in association with SERA Architects of Portland, Oregon, completed the Detailed Program and Schematic Design for the Expansion and Renovation of the Erb Memorial Union (EMU) at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

In keeping with the University of Oregon’s culture of a collaborative design process, the work plan for the design of the EMU expansion and renovation centered on user participation and engagement as described in the Campus Plan. The fundamental approach was to engage the appointed EMU User Group, as the ‘client representative’, in the planning, programming and design process, and to present them with thoughtful alternate solutions to meet the goals and objectives of the project. The User Group was actively involved as a partner in the design process, including developing organizational approaches, refining programmatic needs, generating design concepts, prioritizing needs, comparing building systems and discussing cost and budget trade-offs and value engineering options.

The building expansion encompasses approximately 126,300 square feet and the renovation encompasses approximately 91,200 square feet. Programmatic elements include the Craft Center, the Outdoor Program, a 1,000 seat Concert Hall, student radio station, dining services, coffee shop and pub, student government, conference center, meeting spaces, student resource center, retail and a lobby/lounge. The multi-use facility is designed to accommodate a 24-hour zone in the building, and several student-centric spaces are intended for late-night use.

While the expansion respects the design of the existing building and the existing campus context, it is a building of the future focused on the concept of creating a literal and figurative hearth for the campus. Specific functions and uses can be thought of as building blocks that surround the Hearth, a multi-functional, informal, transformable space for students.

In this manner, the Hearth becomes the central hub of activity and passage ways through the building, and by nature of its location, through the heart of campus.

Interior View of the Hearth

Interior View of the Multicultural Center & Student Unions

USER GROUP MEETINGS The challenge with any Union design, is managing the diverse and often conflicting interests of the various project stake holders and to allow for a process of information gathering and decision making.

At the University of Oregon, an organization structure was set up to allow a process of open and transparent communication. The User Group consisted of faculty, staff and student representatives from the EMU Board of Directors and EMU programs and organizations, a neighboring building representative, an A&AA architecture representative and a Campus Planning committee representative. The schematic design phase included nine user group meetings.

In addition, the process included consultation and meetings with 26 Subject Area Committees (SAC), which represented the various occupants to be housed within the EMU. These committee meetings were used to define and refine specific programmatic space needs, and adjacencies when developing the program. There were 5 Subject area committee meetings with each of the 26 groups.

VISIONING AC Martin and SERA began the project with an interactive ‘visioning session’ with the Union User Groups. To facilitate the ‘visioning’ session, the design team came with a .20’ long banner designed to solicit primary ‘highest hopes’ and ‘greatest fears’ for the project.

Highest hopes and greatest fears were documented on the banner from a broad range of users and stakeholders. The users were then given green dots (hopes) and red dots (fears), and were asked to note their ‘highest hopes’ and ‘greatest fears’. Among the highest hopes (green dots), listed in order of priority: • Sustainability • Heart of Campus • Transformative • Timeless • Innovating, cutting edge student experience • Clear wayfinding • Inclusive • Studios • Non silo • Uniquely UO branding • Smart joint use of spaces:

conferencing, concert hall,

food service, loading • Cost wise • Practical parking solution • Doing more with less These priorities helped to inform the design team about the issues most important in the design of the project. This process also garners consensus from the diverse set of stake holders.

Users and Stakeholders As illustrated in the User and Stakeholder chart, you can see that the flow of information comes from a series of program iterations from meetings with the 26 different Subject Committees (SAC) and reviews of their survey data. The information gathered from these meetings is then brought to the Project User group for final decisions.

CAMPUS CONTEXT The architectural vocabulary will take its cues from the exiting surrounding context. The University of Oregon takes pride in their architectural heritage, and seeks to have new buildings reflect a modern image, while relating to the surrounding building context, so that there is harmony and continuity of aesthetics. This is done with the use of the campus brick, by massing buildings that have a base, middle and top, as well as capturing detailing and window patterns that occur on campus.

Campus Context

Studies of New Hearth

Choreographing Circulation and Building Forms

Site Plan Studies

CIRCULATION STUDIES Research done on how students enter and leave the building helped the designers to decipher where to place entrances that would facilitate the most student interaction.

Exterior Perspective View at 13th Avenue

GROUND LEVEL PLAN

LEVEL ONE PLAN

MEZZANINE/MILLS CENTER PLAN

LEVEL TWO PLAN

LEVEL THREE PLAN

ROOF PLAN

ASUO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES Multi-Cultural Center SPACE REQUIREMENTS Suite Total: 2,063 NASF

WORKSTATIONS AND ACCESSORIES DIRECTOR 1 OFFICE @ 120 SF

STAFF WORKSTATION 1 WORKSTATION @ 64 SF

STUDENT WORKSTATIONS 4 WORKSTATIONS @ 36 SF

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR 5 WORKSTATIONS @ 20 SF

KITCHENETTE

Sample Space Requirements Analysis

Section Perspective Views of the Hearth

Sight Line Study

Sight Line Study

Perspective View at the South Elevation from the Promenade

Perspective View at the North Elevation from 13th Avenue

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

Erb Memorial Union Client Size

University of Oregon Expansion: 126,300 SF Renovation: 91,200 SF

Location Project Goals

Eugene, OR The following goals were defined by the university as fundamental to the success of the project: • Promote engagement of campus constituencies; students, faculty, and staff, and to provide a venue to welcome the public.

• Support educational, social, and recreational initiatives that engage faculty and staff and spark the intellectual curiosity of students.

• Host expanded activity during evenings and weekends, activate the heart of campus, and contribute to the overall residential quality of campus.

• Integrate academic uses into the building. Promote the EMU’s elevated role in recruitment and retention of students and as the home base for student government and student multicultural programs.

• Demonstrate high-quality design and use of materials, and showcase sustainability and technology in support of student scholarly expression.

• Create a university center that announces the EMU as the central Hearth for campus and tells the stories of the University of Oregon cultures.