Construction Zone: Food-Service Facilities
May 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Campus dining
Haverford College, Haverford, Pa., expected increased use of its student center and a wider range of hours when it added a new gym to the facility. As a result, the college decided to upgrade its outdated 1970s snack bar. The goals were to inexpensively double the seating, and renovate and expand the cooking capacities of the existing facility with minimal disturbance to college life. The new dining facility, The Coop, was completed for the fall 2006 semester.
Phase one was carried out during the construction phase of the new gym to minimize construction disturbance. A terrace and roofed area were created to provide outdoor seating. The standing-seam roof worked in conjunction with the gym's colors, and referenced its form and metal detailing. This phase was completed in time for the gym's inauguration.
Phase two was carried out in summer 2006. Kitchen equipment was reused when possible, and the roofed outdoor area was enclosed with a glass wall. The architect value-engineered lighting and ceiling treatments and was able to meet the college's construction cost targets. The dining spaces were designed to accommodate varied hours of use, including daytime use of the snack bar and grill, as well as 24-hour use of the “grab-and-go” area.
The architect for this project is Metcalfe Architecture & Design (Philadelphia).
Start: June 2005 (Phase I)
Completion: September 2006 (Phase II)
Project area: 4,000 sq. ft.
Construction budget: $800,000
Fresh face
Daniel Dining Hall at Furman University, Greenville, S.C., underwent a $5 million renovation in summer 2006. It now has a modern, upbeat character.
The building's original entrance had a large, but under-used lobby above the dining hall level that was accessed by two large ramps and a pair of monumental staircases. The architect enlarged that level to create a 15,800-square-foot, 14-foot-wide mezzanine to overlook the dining hall and the campus lake. The ramps were replaced with staircases and an elevator to the mezzanine.
The upper-level space increased seating capacity from 700 to 850 and features high-top tables, upholstered couches and chairs, a fireplace, large flat-screen TV, bagel shop, four-station Internet cafe, a pair of six-seat study tables and study niches.
On the main level, three food-preparation stations in each of two areas replaced traditional serving lines and steam tables. Creating a food-preparation area in clear view reduced the need for a large, traditional kitchen. In addition to an open seating area, the plan provides two 45-seat private dining rooms.
The architect for this project is McMillan Smith & Partners, Architects, PLLC (Spartanburg, S.C).
Social center
America's Cup coffee cafe at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J., opened in fall 2006. The 2,112-square-foot cafe offers cups of exotic coffee and stylish surroundings with places to lounge, study and hook up to the Internet.
The coffee service area features strong, curved geometry clad in textured matte stainless-steel panels. Interplay of tables with chairs and curvy lounge furniture offer both drama and function. Finishing touches include artwork depicting the history of the Hoboken waterfront. Lighting disperses a speckle pattern that becomes a sculptural element with the use of paper-wrapped pendants.
The architect for this project is Peter Johnston Architect, PC (Hoboken, N.J.).
Green cafeteria
The cafeteria at Summerfield Elementary School, Neptune, N.J., serves various functions and is organized for after-hours community use. The space has a large expanse of windows and opens to a patio that helps support environmental programs. A movable partition enables the adjacent music room to open to the cafeteria for special events.
Additional features include rainwater collection for garden irrigation, a geothermal system, waterless urinals and low-flow fixtures, sunscreens, high-performance building systems, reused historical ornamental features and materials to evoke the past.
The architect for this project is EI Associates (Cedar Knolls, N.J.).
