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56 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • MAY 2017 OBJECTIVES AND GOALS SET AND MET Over the past nine years, Ohio University (OU) has worked to improve, elevate and expand its on-campus din- ing experience. As the phased planning continued to move along, Boyd Hall, a 1960s-era building on the west side of campus, was due for an upgrade. Campus dining leaders wanted to transform Boyd Hall from an outdated opera- tion to a wildly different, state-of-the-art, nontraditional, lively student hub. From the start, the project team set large goals for Boyd Hall. For design inspiration, the team looked beyond what was being done in other educational facilities' dining operations. To conceptualize a new dining hall, the team, which in- cluded members of the school's culinary services team, a few students, architects and foodservice design consultant Lenny Condenzio of Ricca Design Studios, visited six Columbus-area restaurants. After scouting the local area, the team headed to New York City, one of the world's most renowned restaurant destinations, for a metamorphic bench- marking tour. The group visited more than 30 of the hottest restaurants, food halls and foodie favorites including Chelsea Market, Dean and Deluca, Eataly, Gotham West Market, Hudson Eats, Mercer Kitchen, Sarabeth's Bakery, Todd English Food Hall and Tortaria. After benchmarking food markets, exhibition kitchens and trendy concepts, the team defined three main goals for the space: create a wildly different experience that set a new precedent for college dining, focus on sustainability, and emphasize fresh and healthy foods. For the dining hall, the team wanted to showcase some- thing beyond a traditional servery so the group introduced micro-restaurant concepts. With 6 micro-restaurants and 11 platforms, students can explore and discover a variety of food offerings. Micro-restaurants include Carver's Cut, Between the Bread, Destinations, West Greens, Noodled and Margaret's. WHY IT WON: THE JUDGES' COMMENTS ● The project created a dynamic foodservice experience for an all-you-care-to-eat dining hall. ● This project executes the concept of micro-restaurants extremely well. ● The flow from receiving to service is great. ● The ability to offer menu flexibility is excellent, and menu choices can surprise guests and keep them interested. The stations featuring food for students with allergies and desiring gluten-free options fit in with current trends. ● The attention to detail takes this college foodservice from a basic operation to one that is "all grown up." ● Despite using some unique and funky angles, the design is clean. ● Obtaining LEED Gold certification is a significant mile- stone for this project. ● The project takes teamwork to a higher level, which is particularly evident in the development of the program- ming. It also brought together a multifaceted team that did good field research. ● The increase in faculty and staff participation was massive. ● The $12 million expenditure led to $1 million in additional sales. ● The use of plug-and-play equipment provides flexibility. ● The use of kiosk ordering is a plus. ● The project puts the grab-and-go in the front of the space and brings an entirely different level of excellence to this facet of the project. ● The space is well lit and makes excellent use of natural light. ● The interior design utilizes sustainable materials and highlights the space's emphasis on healthy foods. At Noodled, an upscale pasta station, staff saute combinations of herb gnocchi, fagioli and cacio e pepe with daily prepared sauces and vegetables. Induction cookers, with their rapid heating component, keep lines of students moving quickly without sacrificing fresh and made-to-order options. Photos (top) by Mark Brunton, assistant director auxiliaries, marketing and communica- tions, Ohio University and (above) by Scott Pease Photography. 2017 FACILITY DESIGN PROJECT OF THE YEAR