Southwest Minnesota State University Student Center

On January 2, 2002 a fire destroyed the Food Service East building located on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University. Related smoke traveling through the tunnel system destroyed the interiors of the West Conference Center, the Student Center, Founders Hall and other campus buildings.

The Action
While the building was still smoldering, we met with the owners to develop a schedule for the reopening of a new kitchen and food service for the campus. We formulated a plan to install a temporary kitchen--an assembly of kitchens in flat bed trailers attached to a remodeled fitness room, becoming a temporary dining room. Additional café seating was provided along a circulation spine leading to the main campus. Two weeks from the initial meeting, breakfast was served from the new temporary facility.

The Plan
The President of Southwest Minnesota State University commissioned the design team to explore the alternative locations and solutions for the replacement of the lost and damaged facilities. Those plans considered three options:
1. Rebuild the lost food service in the same location
2. Remodel the existing Student Center into the new food service, and construct a new Student Center on its roof, utilizing the existing structure below
3. Enclose the space between the existing Student Center and the adjacent buildings to form a new Student Center The team provided relative cost opinions for each alternative.

The Decision
Alternative #2 was chosen by the client. This direction allowed the site of the destroyed food service to become a major open space connecting the parking to the West Conference Center. The construction of the Student Center on the upper level will improve overall student circulation throughout the campus. The cost of the project is $15,000,000.