DUC Down

This summer saw the demolition of the R. Howard Dobbs University Center (DUC) and the beginnings of a new, three-story Campus Life Center (CLC).

Opened in 1986, the DUC included a new west wing designed by Atlanta architect John Portman, who attached his addition to the façade of the original 1927 dining hall with an atrium called the Coca-Cola Commons. The 1927 hall had been renamed the Alumni Memorial University Center, or AMUC, with the addition of an east wing in 1950 to remember alumni lost in war.

A crucial part of constructing the new CLC was separating the two buildings. Space between the AMUC and the new CLC will eventually be home to a large, open-air courtyard with trees, grass, and casual outdoor seating. The new facility will feature a restaurant, student meeting spaces, and a second-floor recreation lounge—complete with billiards, air hockey, and video games.

The move to replace the DUC was driven not only by growing space demands, but also by the need for larger, more efficient dining services, technology and infrastructure upgrades, and more room for students to gather.

Developed with feedback from the campus community, the new CLC is scheduled to open in May 2019. It was designed to provide inviting, flexible spaces for the campus community—the biggest change to the facility in thirty years.

“The payoff for the university will be such a dynamic change, in terms of a place for community building, programs, and events,” says CLC Director Ben Perlman. “It’s going to be incredibly impactful, with a lot more room for students, organizations, and spaces to collaborate.”