Lexington, Kentucky
The UK Gatton Student Center underwent a transformative renovation and expansion project to enrich student life on the university campus. With a focus on enhancing the campus environment, Omni Architects collaborated with Perkins+Will to design the renovation, leveraging the team’s extensive experience with the facility since 2004.
The design process involved close collaboration with various stakeholders, including students, faculty, and staff. The resulting design reflects the university’s vision of an open, transparent, and light-filled facility. It welcomes students with its inviting and comfortable atmosphere while boasting a modern and updated appearance, with clear entrances for easy navigation.
To cater to social interactions, the facility offers multiple interior and exterior seating zones for relaxation and recreation. It also features a 300-seat movie theater and a captivating social stair in the atrium adorned with a larger-than-life bronze sculpture of UK’s beloved Wildcat mascot, providing ample photo opportunities.
In addition to social spaces, the student center provides functional program areas such as administration and student organization offices, lounge areas, recreational spaces, a gym, meeting and conference rooms, and a Barnes & Noble bookstore, the largest on any campus in the nation. Within the bookstore, a Starbucks is conveniently integrated.
A focal point of the student center is the Champions Kitchen, offering a wide array of dining options. With multiple national brand retail restaurants and a seating capacity of over 1,000, students can enjoy high-quality meals associated with renowned brands. These dining choices are accessible to the campus community, with some locations offering late-night options. Furthermore, a standalone catering kitchen supports meal production, staging, and serving for functions within the Student Center and other locations on campus.
The project proudly achieved LEED Silver certification, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability. By incorporating energy and product conservation principles, utilizing Energy Star equipment options, and implementing environmentally responsible installations, the design promotes both short- and long-term savings while prioritizing sustainability.