Your Union Gets A Refresh
The Carolina Union has undergone some exciting renovations just in time for the start of the fall semester, rolling out improvements to the West Lounge and the Aquarium Lounge. Carolina Union Board of Directors Chair Jordan Bermudez shared her excitement for the project, describing it as an effort to make students to feel like they are at Carolina as soon as they walk into the Union.
“I’m most excited about the West Lounge space and the new Carolina additions we will be adding in,” Bermudez said. “I think it will be a great way to create a more welcoming spaces for new students and let them know that the Carolina Union as their home from day one of Orientation until the day they graduate.”
Updates to the furniture in the West Lounge and Aquarium Lounge will create more spaces for group study, increase charging units, and create a welcoming space full of Carolina tradition. Bermudez remarked upon her excitement for the project, stating “I think the updates will be a great way to create a more welcoming spaces for new students and let them know that the Carolina Union is their home from day one of Orientation until the day they graduate.”
Student input was widely considered when designing the new updates, reflecting the desire for more adaptable furniture and a more connected space between the two lounges. Student leaders on the Carolina Union Board of Directors, as well as student employees of the Union, were welcomed to view design samples and layouts throughout the planning process, ultimately leading to a new space created by and for the student. “My hope is that with the furniture selection we have chosen the spaces are much more adaptable for a plethora of group study options,” commented Bermudez. “I think the new-age and innovative design also reflects the aesthetic students have been asking for the building to take on as well.”
These building updates come at a momentous time for the Union, as the current Carolina Union building celebrates its 50th anniversary this coming year. With the Carolina Union’s unique position as a student-focused building, something it has been for fifty years, it was important to consider how the space could adapt to serve the students who study, work, and enjoy the building every day. “The Carolina Union is everyone’s home,” said Bermudez. “I think making these building updates reflects this idea.”