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Fairfield University
Barone Campus Center

When Fairfield University came to us with ambitions to improve its main dining hall, we saw an opportunity to renew the existing facility while significantly expanding an essential community-building space at the heart of campus. Together, we turned a congested and largely inaccessible space into a source of pride on campus.

  • Location

    • Fairfield, CT

    Size

    • 26,000 SF renovation
    • 23,000 SF addition
    • 710 seats

    Program

    • Dining room, servery, student lounge spaces

    Practice area

Looking to enhance access, efficiency, and equity of usage for the new campus center, we conducted a careful analysis of the site, considering everything from congestion points to enrollment projections and the need for additional private seating areas for meetings and events. From there, the team drew up a comprehensive phasing plan that enabled the project to unfold without disrupting Fairfield’s year-round on-campus meal service.

The result: a welcoming, spacious, fully-accessible 710-seat dining room, servery, and flexible social space that encourages the Fairfield community to continue its tradition of sharing meals together under one roof.

A transparent addition provides panoramic views of the campus entrance.

Untangling Circulation

Prior to our intervention, circulation paths were congested and inaccessible. The renovation provides a new campus-scale front door and an improved circulation spine.
The existing dining hall was outdated, undersized, and inefficient. Our renovation resolves these issues, providing a varied experience and menu for diners.
BEFORE: The two-way stair leading to the main dining level was a pinch point for circulation.
AFTER: A new open and wide entry stair invites visitors up to the fourth-floor dining hall.
BEFORE: The main entry was difficult to locate and felt unwelcoming to some.
AFTER: The new main entry and glazed addition offer an inviting and modern image, complementary of the original architecture and its earlier additions.
New lounge areas give students space to study and relax.
To achieve strict budget and schedule goals, the team developed early procurement packages and a design-assist approach for the building’s curtainwall and precast concrete facade.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the existing building, the preserved bas reliefs, are a striking feature of the new interior. 
Now open and bright, the new dining and servery space provides views inside and out.
Project impact
  • 710

    Seats in the newly renovated dining hall

  • 9 months

    Construction period, limiting downtime for campus dining and bringing the project in under budget

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Photography

Robert Benson

Project Team

Blades & Goven

Bohler

Code Red

Collaborative Lighting

Envision Strategies

Kohler Ronan

Silman

Skanska

Vision Buildings and Design

Wil-Spec

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