WMU Student Center construction project wins prestigious industry award | WMU Student Center

An exterior view of the WMU Student Center at sunset. — The WMU Student Center has become a hub of activity on campus.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Western Michigan University Student Center project was awarded Engineering News-Record's 2024 Award of Merit in Higher Education/Research for the midwest region. This prestigious industry award honors the best construction projects designed and built in the United States and Puerto Rico. Walbridge, the construction firm responsible for building the WMU Student Center, submitted the project to ENR for consideration.

For staff that collaborated with project partners on the building’s nature-inspired, student-focused design, the award is well-deserved.

Students play instruments in the student center. — Students listen to jazz during lunch on the Gathering Stairs.

“The student center was intentionally designed and constructed to create a welcoming and inclusive space for the campus community, especially students,” notes Paul Terzino, student center director. “Our partnership with Walbridge and CannonDesign transformed our vision into reality, and from day one, our students have embraced the student center and made it their home away from home.”

Walbridge, who also constructed the WMU Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine in 2014, specializes in unique projects that allow them to stretch their creativity when it comes to material usage and structural design. This methodology aligned with Western’s desire to create an architecturally distinctive building in the heart of campus that would ultimately serve as WMU’s gathering place. ENR’s Award of Merit honors the WMU Student Center’s innovative construction and highlights its many unique design features, including the 242 custom cut aluminum sunshade fins surrounding the building’s exterior and the three-story Gathering Stairs.

According to Walbridge corporate communications manager Cynthia Carey, the completed Student Center project also demonstrates “the opportunities that exist for higher education to prioritize inclusivity in all aspects of campus life and reimagine the role of the built environment” in attracting students and overall campus life.

A student sits in a hammock in the student center. — Hammocks positioned around the student center offer a great spot to relax and hang out with friends.

“Together with our partners, Walbridge is honored to earn an Award of Merit for the Western Michigan University Student Center and Dining Facilities project,” she says. “We were excited to be part of a project focused on student connection, community and collaboration that honors the culture embedded throughout the WMU campus.”

For Dr. Barry Olson, associate vice president of campus life, the thoughtful design and inclusive nature imbued in every corner of the building has fostered a strong sense of belonging for all who enter. “Having an office inside the new WMU Student Center has given me the opportunity to see first-hand the importance and impact of this remarkable space. From opening day, students have found a voice in this beautiful facility. Now that we are into our second year of occupancy, we can see how student engagement has grown and how the user experience really enhances it.”

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.