With a new year comes new projects, and 2019 is no exception. First, we started the year off with a huge grand opening. Phase II of the University of Tennessee’s Student Union on UT’S Knoxville campus. A build that was nine years in the making.
The new Student Union is roughly 400,000 square feet and contains a 30-foot tall torch sculpture, perfected by Knoxville’s very own Pretentious Glass Co. There are phrases and lyrics on the walls and across the ceilings of the Student Union. These quotes are rooted in decades of UT’s Big Orange Culture. Moreover, this comes just in time, as ‘Rocky Top’ was voted the #1 college fight song in America by USA Today this past summer. Certainly, the new Student Union is a special project, to say the least. It combines modern design with centuries-old traditions; celebrating years of progress for the institution, its students and alumni.
The Project
Our East Tennessee team has been routinely checking up on the project to get a look at the progress of the work we have featured throughout the building. This includes: custom millwork, Marlite wall panel systems, auditorium seating, casework on every floor, and several rows of desks. On their last visit to the Student Union before its opening, our team was able to get a glimpse of just how beautiful the entire establishment is in its entirety.
Now that the space has been populated with the hustle and bustle of the spring semester, it is truly a sight to see. Especially for anyone whose life has been touched by the University of Tennessee. In conclusion, it is difficult to put the energy and spirit of this group into words, let alone a structure as massive as this one. UT has been able to encapsulate everything it stands for. As well as everything its Volunteer family has cheered for through decades with this project.
To take a look inside at the new Student Union, click here. To view Part I of the University Center, click here.
