New look student union comes top of the class

Project: Eastern Washington University, Pence Union Building (PUB)

Award: Education – Higher education and research facilities, Bronze, 2022

Location: Cheney, Washington, USA

Architect: Perkins&Will

Client: Eastern Washington University

This imaginative redesign of a dark and maze-like student union has transformed an outdated 1960s building into a light-filled, amenity rich space that creates a home-away-from-home for students to study, dine and engage with each other.

The design concept behind the renovation focuses on improving the "seam" between the two eras-knitting together the old and the new. A "main street" connection creates two dominant entries to the north and south. A grand staircase situated within the main street atrium connects both entries to allow for a natural flow through the building. Students can visually see through the building from one end to the other.

The expansive dining area wraps around the atrium with a variety of eating and lounge seating. A comfortable commuter lounge offers space for students to relax while waiting for public transport. Glass walls lining the atrium ensure student organizations are highly visible-encouraging everyone to get involved.

Design highlights

The large two-storey glass feature wall adjacent to the north entry celebrates the geological history of the region by incorporating a textural map of the Channeled Scablands. This is based on the original topographic map from 1923.

Photo credit: Kevin Scott Photography