The two-phase, $26.5 million renovation of Wayne State University’s Student Center Building has been recognized by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) for excellence in design and construction.

Wayne State University — along with construction partners WTW Architects and Newman/Smith Architects — was presented with the 2017 ACUI Facility Design Award of Excellence at the group’s annual conference, held March 19-23 in Philadelphia. Members of the renovation team ­— including WSU’s Andrea Gerber, Student Center director; Nick Board, supervisor of Student Center operations; and Paul Knell of WTW Architects —also shared a presentation about the project and its impact on campus. 

The renovation, which was completed in August 2015, included a new food court and additional dining venues, new collaboration spaces for student organizations, modern meeting and conference facilities, expanded and upgraded banquet rooms, more open space, and new gaming and student recreation destinations. 

Since the renovation, the Student Center has seen an increase in traffic, reservations and overall staffing requirements. Total reservations have more than doubled, and the building is on track to have more than 11,000 reservations this year, according to Gerber.

From May 2014 until the project’s completion, nearly 100,000 square feet of space was renovated to provide a more modern, expansive and student-friendly atmosphere.

“We didn’t really add a lot of new space,” she said. “We studied the space we had and created more efficient ways of utilizing it.”

Following the renovation, the Student Center has also seen an increase in staff. The building is now operated and maintained by a team of nearly 70, including Gerber and Board.

Board — who became involved with the Student Center in 2012 as a member of the renovation project’s student steering committee — said the renovation has improved the ease of access to campus resources.

“Receiving student feedback and being able to continue supporting their wants and needs has been a rewarding process. I think the time and effort put into the renovation has paid off,” he said. “The building has transformed into a destination and a gathering place on campus, and we’re continuing to add services and equipment to improve our offerings.”