Title: Campbell University, Oscar N. Harris Student Union
Location of Proejct: Buies Creek, NC
Project Completion Date: October 2019
Firm Name: Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc.

Short Description: This new Student Union replaces the undersized Wallace Student Center at Campbell University. With 4,865 students on campus, Campbell University needed a larger facility to provide adequate space for informal gatherings, meetings, food service, fitness, retail, student services, and a central social hub for students.

Located at the heart of campus on the Historic Academic Circle, the new Student Union serves as the central hub of student life at Campbell University.

Architect's Statement: The new Oscar N. Harris Student Union is the hub of student life at Campbell University and is located at the heart of the campus on the Historic Academic Circle. With nearly 5,000 students on campus, Campbell needed a larger facility that would provide adequate space for informal gatherings, meetings, food service, fitness, spirit gear, and student services. Rooted in community, the building's open floor plan is designed to bring students, faculty, and the community at large together to fellowship, dine, study, and get involved in activities on campus, as well as, community engagements. The new building is aligned on axis with D. Rich Hall which has stood as the most recognizable building of Campbell University for many years thought out its history. The new student Union redefines the Historic Academic Circle and is configured around four tenants of student life at Campbell University: Food, Fellowship, Fitness and Formation.

Rooted in community, the building's open floor plan is designed to bring students, faculty, and the community at large together to fellowship, dine, study, fitness and get involved in activities on campus, as well as, community engagements. Our team also included a lot of student involvement in the design process and conducted student surveys throughout. Additionally, the student union's central location on campus encourages pedestrian connections/ walkability.

The landscape design utilizes an assortment of local, native plants that thrive in the ecological conditions present on site. This helps reduce the need for additional irrigation and increases the natural habitat for pollinators and other local fauna. Native plants don't require fertilizer and require fewer pesticides than lawns. They also reduce air pollution.

The building features low-flow fixtures specifically designed to limit water waste. The fixtures use about half the amount of water as a standard fixture. As previously mentioned, the native plants on site do not require very limited irrigation, saving time and water for landscape maintenance. The project also includes rain chains to eliminate water runoff.

The low-flow water fixtures reduce utility bills for Campbell University's student center. The south entry roof features solar panels to produce electricity and offset Life Cycle Costs.

The south entry roof features solar panels to produce electricity and offset Life Cycle Costs. The building is situated such that the majority of glazing is on the north elevation, creating low solar heat gain, and maximizing direct sunlight to the solar panels. The building faces the academic circle to provide gorgeous views of the University's campus, maximize natural light, and reduce the need for artificial daylighting.

Banquet halls are traditionally designed without glazing. However, our team designed each of the three banquet halls in this student union to add three light monitors, encouraging natural daylighting use rather than artificial lighting. Natural light is abundant near stairs to encourage an increase in aerobic activity. The lighting design throughout includes both daylighting and LED light fixtures. This supports alertness during the day and alignment with our natural circadian rhythm.

The three banquet hall spaces are designed for ultimate flexibility of use, able to accommodate anything from a corporate luncheon to a large celebration or reception and more. The theater space is designed to view movies and other videos, but also serve as a space for lectures and admission orientation.