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Students will have the opportunity to design the interior of the new Union South.

A survey was e-mailed to University of Wisconsin students over the weekend, allowing them to provide input on 10 different areas within and around the new Union South, including a coffeehouse and outdoor spaces.

The survey was distributed to all students on campus, faculty, staff and members of the Memorial Union Building Association. Participants are allowed to complete as many questionnaires as they would like.

Students are asked to rank pictures of specific areas that have been chosen by committee members, submitted by alumni or previously designed by architects.

Following the images, students then are asked to choose adjectives that describe the aesthetics of their ideal space within the Union.

“We want to promote a space that students share a sense of identity with,” said Shayna Hetzel, membership director of the Wisconsin Union, who helped write the survey. “It’s important the Union be at its best and student-friendly.”

Hetzel said the design committees want the Union to be a vibrant space where students could interact and be comfortable.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for students to speak out about what they’d like to see in the new union and help create a union that is the best use of the university’s money,” said UW junior Paige Barger.

Upon completion of the survey, 14 user groups comprised of more than 100 students, faculty and alumni will examine the results to determine which of the chosen designs will be implemented.

Throughout this process, the user groups will explore each participant’s reactions to the feel of the building and come up with different ideas based on the suggestions in the surveys.

After these groups have identified key themes, the results will go to the designers who will take ideas from them to develop the overall theme of each area within the new Union South.

In addition to the survey, students are invited to participate in user groups, design forums and other campuswide opportunities to help create the image of the new Union.