Fresno State Student Union

Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union, Fresno State

Fresno, CA

Pride of place.

Supporting students and the region.

Engaging students, encouraging potential

Fresno State’s new Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union is designed to reflect the ‘Pride of Place’ evident on the campus and the extreme regional pride for the University. The design reflects the agrarian grid of the valley, opening eastward toward the raw beauty of the Sierras. The new student union complements the existing union. It is sited and designed for transparency indoors and out, drawing in new students with food and coffee to start the journey through college. As they gain familiarity with the campus and the union, students will be drawn to the upper floors and higher engagement in campus life and activities.

Interior spaces are interconnected with a grand stair facing a projection screen that can be used for movie night or sporting events. Precast, insulated, concrete panels dominate the building exterior, complementing the library and the student union. These panels were pre-manufactured off-site and installed on-site and provide a finished interior and exterior surface, as well as building insulation. This solution minimized on-site construction which expedited completion of the project, ensuring a high-quality fabricated finish. One quarter of the building load is offset with photo-voltaic panels. Building entries are accented with metal panels and soffits to ease wayfinding.

The Student Union provides a home away from home during the day, between classes, for moments of respite or nourishment, or to socialize and engage. The design of the lounge and “campus living room” meanders throughout the building offering varying scales of engagement and a myriad of options for students to utilize.

The building massing establishes a courtyard, paying homage to the storied campus amphitheater, providing a flexible, outdoor entertainment zone that can be used as pre-function space for multipurpose rooms, Vintage Days, or student organizations. The bustle of the Town Center, supported by bold branding elements, permeates outward further activating the courtyard.

Students approaching campus from neighborhoods and bus routes to the south are invited to meander through the Student Union via the inviting south entry…grab a coffee or a meal, meet friends, engage in clubs and organizations, and then head to class out the north side.