Barone Campus Center Expansion and Renovation
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Renewing the campus to revitalize a growing student community
The idea of breaking bread together every day is central to Fairfield’s student life ideals and a basis for the strong sense of community that distinguishes the University. Our renovation and expansion of the Barone Campus Center renews this 1960s-era building, accommodates enrollment growth, and revitalizes the community-shaping experience of dining together.
- Speed: Because Barone is the only dining facility for the University’s 4,000 students, it needed to remain open for the entire academic year. We met this aggressive schedule by closely coordinating the design with the University and the construction manager; using design assist, strategic early packages, and pre-fabricated exterior assemblies; and by implementing a careful phasing plan.
- Stewardship: Our design strategy judiciously reused interior finishes and fixtures, restored elements that were in good condition, and preserved resources to make more dramatic interventions where it was practical (and a good return on investment) to do so.
- Impact: The renovation (26,000 GSF) and addition (23,000 GSF) project a dramatic new image, providing a greatly improved entrance and circulation sequence, a 710-seat expanded dining room and servery, and casual meeting spaces to encourage use beyond mealtimes.
