We’ve got a series of Info Session coming up for people wanting to learn more about the project.
North (Corner of W. Johnson & Orchard St.)
North at Night
Orchard St.
View from Wendt Library Plaza
View from Wendt Library Plaza at Night
Northwest (corner of Campus Dr. & Randall)
We’re on Facebook. Look for the Wisconsin Union Initiative group.
ENTIRE SITE: Campus Drive & WID (Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery) at top, Dayton St. at bottom, Randall Ave. to west, Orchard St. to east.
SOUTHWEST PLAZA with steps and natural, arching water feature fed by rainwater. The reddish rectangles are shading devices, and the square pavers contain gaps for rainwater drainage.
CAMPUS DRIVE: brown color is special highly durable natural wood decking, which will be covered by an overhang. The thin strip of blue is a wall with falling water.
ORCHARD STREET pedestrian-oriented mall with a drop off for vehicles not intending to use the underground parking ramp.
The new south campus union’s site design takes an innovate and cost-effective approach to managing and utilizing stormwater. Typically, building and their surrounding sites channel rainfall into drainages leading directly to the area’s lakes, which leads to increased flooding and water pollution. The new south campus union, however, will collect much of its rainfall in water features that will also add a calming natural effect to the site landscape. These water features will likely house several native plant and animal species, creating a small urban natural area right in the heart of campus. Susan Weiler, a graduate of the UW-Madison Landscape Architecture program and principle designer for the nationally recognized firm, Olin Partnership, has led site design.
Badger Hall - View Toward West End
Badger Hall - View Toward East End
Rec Center - Climbing Wall
Rec Center - Bowling
Rec Center
The UW-System Board of Regents and Wisconsin State Building Commission gave final approval at a total maximum cost of $94.8 million for the south campus union portion of the Wisconsin Union Building Project in February, 2009.
This figure is approximately $7 million higher than the initial estimate of $87.7 million. The increased cost will be covered through a transfer of funds set aside for the Memorial Union renovation portion of the project. These funds include approximately $3.5 million in student segregated fees (students will not, however, be paying anything additional into the project), private gifts, and UW Transportation Services funding.
The increased budget figure is primarly due to unforeseen costs relating to a very complex site design. For instance, relocating underground utilities such as campus steam tunnels and communications lines costs millions of dollars. Additionally, construction costs, despite being down from their peak last year, are still much higher than when the preliminary budget figure was created. It’s also important to keep in mind that the initial estimate recognized the project scope may change depending on circumstances like those just mentioned.
Options to respond to the budget reality included 1) removing building scope, 2) stopping the process and redesigning the entire building, 3) stopping the project, and 4) transferring funds from the Memorial Union phase of the project. The first option would have resulted in such a reduction in space and amenities that the project would have been worthwhile. Similarly, the second option would have both cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional design fees (not to mention risking a dramatic escalation in construction costs) and scrapped an awesome design. The third option would have not only been a pure waste of millions of student dollars already spent on the project, but would have also subverted the voting rights of the student body. The fourth option maintains a project that will positively transform campus by creating two true student unions that will provide the out-of-classroom learning and socially-engaging space that helps distinguish the most premiere institutions of higher education.
The final decision to transfer funds was made by Union Council, the student-majority governing board of the institution, after a lengthy discussion of the ultimate consequences. While committee members did express concerns relating to the impact such a transfer might have on the ability to fully renovate and restore Memorial Union, Union Council ultimately decided this transfer was the most prudent option because it meets the spirit articulated in the 2006 student referendum, while at the same time preserving reduced yet significant financial resources for the second phase of the project.
Additional information can be found on the “Project Budget” page.
Badger Hall and the Theater were recently tweaked to improve their overall functionality.
Third floor offices above the eastern third of Badger Hall were removed in order to create a more uniform space. Whereas the eastern third previously had an approximately 12 foot ceiling compared to about 20 feet for the rest of the space, they are now uniform with a higher overall height.
The theater was turned 90 degrees, which allows for a much larger overall drop, meaning the screen size is significantly larger and the sightlines are dramatically improved.
The third level is altered not only by removal of the offices, but also by a shift in the supporting column grid, requiring a reconfiguration of the meeting rooms. The “island” meeting room is not connected to the wall on the north for emergency escape purposes. However, this large, divisible meeting room will have interior windows to allow natural light penetration.
Second Floor Revision
Third Floor Revision
The latest (and most likely final) revision to the Theater angles the seats, while at the same time compressing and fanning out the rear portion of the space both to enhance sightlines and to create a larger pre-function and lounge space.
Theater Revision, 4/7/09
Sungarden Looking to West
Grand Fireplace
Sungarden Looking Toward East-Southeast
View from Northwest Entrance (Randall & Campus Drive): Market is to the right, Coffeehouse to the left, and Sungarden straight ahead.
View from Coffeehouse to Restaurants - Pizza on left, Flatbread in middle, Asian to right
Club Entry - Viewing Window to Climbing Wall on Left, Seating Alcove on Right, Stage/Dance Floor/Service Counter Straight Ahead
Club - View from Stage
Club (initial proposal, since revised)
Club Dance Floor/Seating Area and Stage
