January 8, 2009

Union Commons wins award for design

The magazine awarded Union Commons for being a sustainable, multifaceted facility and a great space for learning, in its 2008 Architectural Portfolio competition.

Completed in fall 2007, Union Commons ­is an underground streetscape of international, fast, and casual restaurants serving a wide range of cuisines. Eateries include Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, Lemongrass and Flatbreads, the latter two offering Thai and Mediterranean cuisine.

In addition, faster dining options are available at the Urban Market, an upscale convenience store featuring organic food, Zia Juice bar serving smoothies, and Loops cereal bar featuring dozens of childhood favorites updated with numerous toppings.

American School and University magazine provides information for higher education administrators nationwide, who are responsible for planning, design, construction, maintenance and management of education facilities. Jurors, who selected Purdue Memorial Union Dining Services, consisted of educators and higher education administrators from across the country.

"Certainly this is an honor as the recognition validates our efforts to create a unique portfolio of restaurants as part of a very vibrant college Union," said Gary Goldberg, Purdue Memorial Union director of dining services. "We believe the design is a contributing factor in increasing activity in our building and that was a primary goal of the project."

Goldberg said students were polled before Union Commons was renovated to help create a complex designed to appeal to a new generation of customers.

"Today's students, who have been eating at themed restaurants for several years, expect a dining experience that will stimulate all of their senses while quickly providing them healthy, affordable options," he said. "We're pleased our students and food service professionals across the nation concur that we have succeeded in meeting or surpassing those expectations."

Purdue Memorial Union's restaurants were named one of the top on-campus dining facilities in the nation last year by the National Association of College and University Food Services.

Writer: Soumitro Sen, (765) 496-9711, ssen@purdue.edu

Source: Gary Goldberg, (765) 494-8931, gcgoldberg@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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