Thomas Commons honored for design

The renovation of Cornell College’s Thomas Commons was one of five projects that won the 2015 Facility Design Award of Excellence from the Association of College Unions International.

The $12 million Thomas Commons renovation project, which was completed in January 2014, completely transformed the hub of student life on campus. It added a façade that better matches the surrounding buildings, a welcoming lobby and lounge space, a completely redesigned dining facility, and 9,000 square feet of space. The ACUI said this about project:

The renaissance of Thomas Commons brings sweeping changes to Cornell College’s student center. The addition of a welcoming façade and living room creates a gateway to the College, and the new luminous pavilion celebrates student life at the crossroads of campus. This project was led by the firm KSS Architects.
By interjecting warmth and light, and by strengthening community through holistic changes to dining and its environment, the project is a striking, sustainable building that meets the college’s goals and needs, while preserving spaces that host sacred traditions and memories. Breathing new life into Thomas Commons fosters what has always been Cornell’s strength: its community.