The Wisconsin Union team will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Union South with community events starting on April 15, including a cake and ice cream giveaway, a limited-edition anniversary swag giveaway, and opportunities for students, alumni and community members to gather.
The team will give away birthday cake and ice cream from noon to 1 p.m. on April 15 at Union South, while supplies last. To commemorate Earth Day and Union South’s sustainable design and construction, lavender seeds and compostable planters will be distributed on April 22 from noon to 1 p.m. at Union South, while supplies last.
As part of Union South’s 15th anniversary celebration, the Union’s Wheelhouse Studios and The Well will present Creative Reset, a free, drop-in arts series on select Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in April and May. Hosted at The Well in Union South, this new three-week program provides University of Wisconsin–Madison students with a low-pressure environment for creative expression and stress reduction. Sessions will include open-ended art activities, ambient music, a tea station and accessible materials, with no prior experience required.
The celebration will also include a Union South 15th birthday bash in Sett Recreation on May 1 from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will feature free open bowling, a bowling challenge, pool games and prize giveaways.
The current Union South opened on April 15, 2011, after about two years of construction, replacing an earlier facility built in 1971. While the original Union South served as a hub for community and recreation for decades, it could not meet the evolving event space or dining needs of campus. The new building expanded opportunities for recreation, events, and conferences.
The facility spans approximately 187,000 square feet and includes dining venues, meeting and event spaces, and a multi-level entertainment center with bowling lanes, billiards, video games and a stage.
Students played a critical leadership role in shaping the current Union South, from concept to completion. In 2006, UW–Madison students voted to build a new Union South, helping set the project in motion. During the planning process, more than 30,000 students shared input on the types of spaces, amenities and dining options they wanted through surveys, polls, focus groups, open forums and committees. Student leaders helped review design concepts, provided feedback on layouts and dining offerings, and contributed to decisions about how the building would function as a gathering space.
Since opening, Union South has served as a gathering place for students, staff, alumni, Wisconsin Union members and visitors and as a home for Wisconsin Union experiences and student leadership.
Today, student leadership continues in Union South through the programming board, the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD), whose members plan events and help shape the building’s ongoing use.
WUD student leaders plan hundreds of events each year for the community that take place at Wisconsin Union-run buildings, Union South and Memorial Union. Regular events at Union South include free film showings, art exhibitions, game watches, trivia nights and wellness events.
New dining options since Union South opened include South Cantina, which offers Southwest-inspired menu options, and Naan Stop South, which offers Indian cuisine. These join prior dining options the Badger Market, Sett Recreation, Sett Pub, Prairie Fire, Ginger Root and the Daily Scoop. Sett Pub also serves as a game watch destination and WUD Music Committee concert venue.
“Union South reflects the Wisconsin Union’s longstanding commitment to spaces that bring people together and support community needs and student leadership,” Wisconsin Union Executive Director Mark Guthier said. “Over the past 15 years, Union South has become the welcoming and lively gathering place we hoped it would be. We’re proud not only of what it is today, but also of how we got here, with students involved in the planning and operation every step of the way.”
Union South also holds the distinction of being UW–Madison’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified building. A LEED Gold designation is one of the highest levels of green design, construction and operation ratings available from the U.S. Green Building Council. Union South earned this for its energy, lighting, water and material use as well as its green design and construction.
During construction, project teams recycled more than 80% of the materials from the prior Union South. The Union team also incorporated materials indigenous to Wisconsin, including exterior stone from a quarry in Mosinee, Wis., and elm flooring recovered from barns across Wisconsin. The building funnels stormwater runoff into an outdoor water feature.
Union South is part of the Wisconsin Union, a nonprofit organization that provides gathering spaces, programs and leadership opportunities designed to enhance the UW–Madison student experience.
More information about Union South and the Wisconsin Union is available at union.wisc.edu. Patrons can find Union South anniversary celebration details here.