New Union South: Big, welcoming, beautiful

When the new Union South officially opens on Friday, April 15, it will double the amount of programming and event space that the Wisconsin Union is able to offer to students, the university and Madison communities, and Union members. It is nearly twice the size of the former Union South.

“We were literally turning away 1,300 requests annually from registered student organizations before this project began,” says Wisconsin Union director Mark Guthier. “We simply did not have the space to meet the needs of the campus. In 1971, when Union South opened, the campus had 30,000 students and fewer faculty and staff as well.

“Our campus community is now nearly 60,000 people — all of whom need space to meet, learn outside the classroom and socialize. Hopefully, we’ll be a lot closer now to being able to meet those daily needs,” Guthier adds.

“I am completely put in awe by the new building,” says Patrick Callan, outgoing president of the Wisconsin Union. “It sets a new standard on campus for building projects and outcomes. It’s not only beautiful on the outside, but even more so on the inside.”

The new facility is full of colorful, warm and welcoming spaces and art works related to nature and the environment.

It shares only a few things with the old Union South — a bowling alley, the Wiscard office and a fireplace.

In the recreation area, there are eight full-length bowling alleys that can accommodate six bowlers at a time, as well as billiard tables and big-screen TVs everywhere. One of the walls is covered with boards recycled from the old Kohl Center basketball floor.

There is also a 30-foot climbing wall with a recycled rubber floor in case you slip and a balcony from which your climb can be observed by friends and bystanders. There is a snack bar that will serve pub-style food and beverages.

Callan says the building project is unmatched in terms of student involvement.

“Students’ fingerprints can be seen in the whole design of the building,” says Callan. “Not only were the students surveyed to best determine the recreational offerings and restaurant choices, but they also helped to decide such things as which stone to put outside our two-story fireplace, and they picked out all the furniture in the building.”

For the past two months, Callan has been giving tours regularly to students from the Union and the Associated Students of Madison. He says that even some of the opponents of the project have seen the building and completely changed their minds.

“They are blown away at how welcoming this building can be,” says Callan.

Guthier says the new programming spaces for students are some of his favorite additions, but the building will also provide the campus with six new places to eat, as well as meeting spaces that are equipped with the latest technology for groups of five to gatherings of more than 1,000.

Guthier noted that the entire building is tracking for a LEED Gold rating for its environmental design and operation, highlighted by an integrated green roof and a rainwater-supplied outdoor water feature on the South Plaza.

“The building has been designed by the entire campus,” says Guthier. “With over 3,500 students, faculty and staff actively involved on committees, in focus groups and open forums and another 22,000 participants in online surveys, this building has been designed to reflect the broadest needs of the campus community.

“The student involvement on this project has been off the charts,” adds Guthier. “Whether it’s been the leadership they’ve offered in setting the pace for our fundraising campaign by contributing nearly $100 million to the Union’s overall building project, or the active involvement they’ve had in the design process, or the tremendous amount of new programming they’re going to add to the spaces in the building — all of it has been truly inspirational.”

For a schedule of grand-opening events, visit the New Union South website.