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UW finalizes plan for new Union South floor design

Decorative decisions remain, final details to be decided in fall

The Wisconsin Union Building Project Design Committee presented the final design for the recreation level of the new Union South Monday, which will include a bowling center, pool tables and a climbing wall.

Daniel Cornelius, Wisconsin Union vice president for project management, said overall he thought the committee was pleased with the design.

“People are going to want to go there for more than what’s offered — just to hang out because it’s a cool place to be,” Cornelius said. “We’re really enhancing what it was. You don’t have that combination of activities anywhere in the Madison area, much less in the immediate downtown.”

The lower level, which will also include a lounge area, food services and TVs, was requested by students in a survey distributed last fall to make use of warm colors and natural materials to convey a natural, vintage feel.

The space will honor the requests with a “gold and chocolate”-colored finish and classic design elements, according to Workshop Architects interior designer Maria Cieslik.

Also presented at the meeting were developments on the second floor, which includes a theater, information commons for DoIt, student organization offices and conference spaces named Badger Hall and South Hall.

Cieslik said there were concerns with carpeting in several of the spaces, and the committee will revisit some of the colors to reflect students’ wishes.

Committee members also debated the decorative details of Badger Hall, which is currently planned to be simple.

“Overall, people feel it needs a little bit more character — just a little bit of a touch that says this is the Wisconsin Union rather than this is just a conference facility or a hotel,” Cornelius said.

John Sharpless, UW history professor and committee faculty representative, said he was concerned about adding too many details to the space, which would be used for events such as conferences and weddings.

“You don’t want a strong statement trying to compete with what people want out of their events. It’s a use space, it’s not an artistic space. We have other places (in the union) for art to challenge people,” Sharpless said.

Cornelius described an upcoming committee meeting at the end of March as critical, as finishes for the first floor — considered the heart of the new union — will be presented.

Details such as furniture and fabric choice will be determined in the fall.

“It’s great to see a process like this that really puts students at the center, that gives students such a prominent voice and really gives them input that is determining what this building will be,” Cornelius said. “It’s a process you never see on campus.”

The new Union South is scheduled to open in spring 2011. Students will pay segregated fees at a rate of $96 a semester per student until 2040 to partially fund the project.