SERA led the renovation and expansion of the Erb Memorial Union (EMU) on the University of Oregon’s campus. This student center is a prominent gathering space for students, but suffered from outdated spaces and circulation issues, both within the building and in terms of its broader campus context. The goal of the project was to expand the center to provide programs, services and spaces that are engaging to student user groups and that support the university’s academic mission. The completed renovation showcases UO’s commitment to sustainability at all levels, while creating an inviting central hearth for the campus.
In order to gain consensus from the multiple invested user groups on campus, SERA initiated a series of workshops and hands-on design sessions with university staff, faculty, and students. These work sessions resulted in a clearer understanding of the center’s interaction and implication to the surrounding campus, detailed program goals for each student user group with space in the center, and a design vision that embraces these goals and benefits the campus.
The program for the student union building includes a multipurpose room, and numerous meeting rooms in addition to the more traditional program elements of a student union.
