The William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth University Center

The William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth University Center, located between Simon Hall and Mallinckrodt Center, will provide a welcoming space for all who participate in the life of the University—students, faculty, staff, alumni, neighbors and friends. It will be a crossroads for all of these constituencies as they make use of its courtyards, meeting rooms, lounges, and upscale and casual food venues. Along with the Career Center, much-needed office space for student life organizations and student media will be housed in the Danforth University Center, scheduled to open in Fall 2008.

"Ibby would be very pleased by having her name attached to this wonderful Center," said Dr. William H. Danforth. "I have countless warm memories of our years together at Washington University. She would see the new Danforth University Center as a special place where students can gather with their friends and classmates for activities and talks, for learning and for growing."

Social spaces will be available for groups to convene and interact in an inviting, dynamic location in the heart of the campus. A Fun Room has been co-designed by students and Communication Arts, Inc. with garage doors that can be raised or lowered, modular furniture, chalkboard walls and high-tech audio-visual equipment.

The Danforth University Center will provide 522 underground parking spaces, a bus stop, taxi access, and an entrance facing Forsyth Boulevard. Constructed entirely in the collegiate Gothic style, the three-story, 116,000-square-foot facility designed by the architects at Tsoi/Kobus and Associates is modeled in the style of the iconic Brookings Hall. Its exterior spaces are designed with as much style and accessibility as its interior spaces. The building has been designed as a green structure, to be Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-NC Gold Certified. Construction has included the use of many recycled products and materials and more than half of the construction waste will not end up in a landfill. The William H. and Elizabeth Gray Danforth University Center will adhere to the University’s commitment to sustainability, energy and environmental responsibility for the future.

Click to see a Flash slideshow of artist renderings and floor plans for the Danforth University Center.

Click to see a PowerPoint slideshow of artist renderings and floor plans for the Danforth University Center.

Click here to see construction progress on a Web camera. You can also click here for a multimedia presentation created by Student Life.

Click here to download a pdf file of all the meeting rooms that are available, along with their capacities for different seating arrangements.