Washington University in St. Louis

Danforth University Center, St. Louis, MO

The Danforth University Center provides the first ever home for student life on campus a new front door and public face for the University. The center creates a new principal gathering space and hub of activity for the University community: faculty, staff, friends, parents, alumni, and visitors. Intended to be the “campus family room,” at the heart of the building is the Great Hall, a 5,000 square foot gathering space for key student and university events.

The interior and exterior design are of contrasting styles. The contemporary interior is warm and inviting and creates places for student and visitor interaction so that the Center becomes a central focus of activity. The exterior design thoughtfully integrates with the signature Jacobean Gothic campus. It is organized into three parallel east/west sections, which respond to an overall campus design principle of interlocking east/west parallel shafts of spaces and forms. The scale of the forms, as well as the texture and details of the exterior walls, are vital to the creation of a new campus center that is original while still of the rich fabric that makes the campus unique.