The College of William & Mary, Commons Dining Hall Renovation

Williamsburg, Virginia

Firm

MMM Design Group

Client

ARAMARK Corporation

Area

40,704 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$5,600,000

Completion Date

01/2006

The renovation of The Commons clearly defined a new campus dining experience for William & Mary students, faculty and staff. A variety of standalone food venues offering prepared, as well as “grab-and-go,” selections are arranged in a marketplace configuration that prevents crowding and lines, and enables diners to select their meals quickly.
The marketplace concept was selected because it offered the variety of dining options desired by students. Diners now have the choice of seven dining platforms, including Southern Kitchen, Grille, Bake Shoppe, Sandwich Shoppe, Mediterranean Kitchen and the Produce Market, which includes an extensive salad bar. The open configuration also made the most efficient use of space and offered the best circulation-management options.
Separating the dining venues into marketplace platforms instead of a traditional straight-line cafeteria model shortens the lines created during peak hours. It also encourages diners to move easily through the entrance, gather and stroll around the corralled marketplace, find seating with scenic campus views from floor to ceiling, and then depart.
Several seating options with varying degrees of visibility are available, including two private dining areas: one on the main level and a second, more private area, on the ground level.