Western Carolina University, Brown Dining Hall

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Firm

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Client

Western Carolina University

Area

64,392 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$23,509,288

Completion Date

05/2017

Gary Matson

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Design Team
Michael Watson, FAIA, LEED AP; Tom Savory, FAIA, LEED AP; Jana Hartenstine, AIA, LEED AP BD+C; Mitch Newbold, AIA; Matt Allen, AIA

This renovation restores a long-unused 1960 university dining hall to the core of campus life. Oriented toward hilltop dormitories, the building turned its back toward the campus as it expanded into the valley. By introducing a pedestrian spine, organized along a locally quarried stone-clad wall, this LEED Silver project reorients the existing building, creating a gateway that links upper and lower campuses. Dining is arranged along the spine in syncopated spaces that encourage social engagement. An outdoor dining terrace, an upper plaza and a stepped hillside respond to a campus culture that embraces the outdoors year-round. Care was taken to maintain the integrity of the original building, both inside and out. The original clerestoried dining hall was maintained, with all new finishes and systems. The servery and kitchen were moved from their original locations to the west. The servery was placed at the south end of the clerestory space, and the kitchen fully within the existing south wing, in order to open the western end of the dining room to mountain views.