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West Union
General information
Location	Duke University
Address	416 Chapel Drive
Town or city	Durham, North Carolina
Country	USA
Coordinates	36.000845, -78.939319
Groundbreaking	June 2015
Opened	August 27, 2016
Cost	$90 million
Technical details
Size	112 square foot
Website
http://dukedinewestunion.weebly.com/

Location

West Union is located at 416 Chapel Drive, Durham NC.

History

The West Union Building was originally built in 1931. To renovate, the entire building interior was demolished except for the Horace Trumbauer designed dining halls. The building space was also expanded for more dining area and meeting space. The architect for the project was GrimShaw of New York, while the general contractor was Skanska USA’s Durham Operator. The interior designing and branding elements were overseen by New York-based Celano Design Studio in partnership with Grimshaw. During construction, the project had about 300 workers on-site per day. The project cost nearly $90 million, a significant portion of the funding for the renovation came from and $80 million gift from the Duke Endowment of Charlotte in 2011, which is the single largest philanthropic gift in the history of the University.

Venues and Dining

There is abundance of variety in food available at the West Union. Instead of fast food or food court setting the emphasis is on a local creative as well as fine dining. Cafe and brewery are also included in the lounge area. 13 different bays serve freshly prepared food in a easily navigable area. There is a mix of American and International dishes available including Indian, Japanese, Italian, French, and southern cooking. The Dining Hall has space for 13 eateries, which are all operated by Durham-based restaurants and chefs. Current Dining options include:

Devil’s Krafthouse: Only place in the Campus Center that serves alcohol, It has pub fare and microbrew beers. It is operated by Andy Magowan, who is the owner of Geer Street Garden and The Boot.

Tandoor: Serves Indian Food. It is operated by PC Davis of Sitar Indian Cuisine of Durham

Ginger + Soy and Gyotaku: Serves food cuisines from East and Southeast Asia. Run by Don Yoo of Maru and Sushinara restaurant

Il Forno Italian Kitchen: Offers wood-fired pizzas and pasta dishes. It is run by Scott Morse of Enzo’s Pizza in Durham.

The Farmstead and Sprout: Offers more healthy options such as salads. Operated by Fares Hannah of Three Seasons Catering.

Cafe: Fast service for coffee, pastries, and nitrogen ice cream. Operated by Robert and Fida Ghanem, who also own Saladelia Cafe and Mad Hatter in Durham

Skillet South Cookery, JB’s Roast and Chops, The Chef’s Kitchen, The Commons: All are operated by Sam Clowney and Chris Holloway of Pitchfork Provisions. The Commons has a rooftop view as it is on the top floor.

Au Bon Pain: This has been moved to the bottom floor of West Union from the Bryan Center and is a quick stop for students on the go.

Architectural structure

Unlike the collegiate gothic structure of Duke University originally designed by Horace Traumbuer made with local variegated duke stone and completed between 1927 and 1932. The new West Union was designed by Grimshaw architects as glass and steel building with wooden ceilings. The old dining facility has been transformed into a dynamic community center in order to create a hub for students where they can connect and socialize as well. Structural glass is tied into castellated steel columns for easy filtration of light and transparency. The inflexible spaces of the great hall refectory and adjacent Cambridge inn dining room are converted into hallways easy to cross and around the huge display preparation area. In 2017 the architectural digest ranked it among the nine best new university buildings in the world.

Leed certification

West Union is a leadership in energy and environmental design certified facility. A 38000 gallon cistern collects storm water that can be used for irrigation. Reclaimed wood is used for paneling and recovery systems to conserve energy.

See Also

• Duke University