Insights
Mar 11, 2025 _ insights
Student Dining: Design Strategies to Nourish Belonging
Connection to community and a sense of belonging have a direct impact on student satisfaction and retention. No place on campus is this truer than the dining hall. Creating dining halls that nourish a sense of belonging can also impact revenue as students seek it out, linger, and keep their dollars on campus. Specific design strategies can help students—especially first-year students or introverted students—feel less exposed and vulnerable entering the dining space. These strategies include creating transitions, seating choices, and leveraging location.
CREATING TRANSITIONS
UC’s MarketPointe dining hall offers a quieter experience through enhanced acoustics and softer seating and seating with views overlooking campus.
Research reveals that what seems like a simple act—choosing a seat in a crowded room—is actually a complex psychological process impacted by the qualities of the environment and the presence of other people. MarketPointe, at the University of Cincinnati (UC), serves primarily first-year students who are making these kinds of calculations as they arrive to eat. To help them, MarketPointe incorporates a series of transition zones between the busy campus environment and the dining seat to give students a moment to consider their options before being thrust into the middle of the lunch rush.
Intentional design strategies were used to ease the transition from campus to seat at the UC’s MarketPointe Dining Facility.
PROVIDING SEATING OPTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN DINING ALONE
Diverse seating options empower students to feel at ease, particularly when dining alone, by reducing the feeling of being “on display.” This thoughtful approach fosters a more inclusive and comfortable environment. We employed this strategy at the University of Cincinnati’s On the Green Dining Hall. The high-top counter seating offers a view of campus, making it an inviting spot for single diners.
Counter seating in the corner provides an option for single diners who might feel “on display” dining alone in the middle of the space.
LEVERAGING LOCATION
Northern Kentucky University (NKU) has historically been a commuter campus but is becoming less so. Its Norse Commons sits at a campus crossroads and houses a dining hall as well as student mailboxes and administrative offices. The design of the Norse Commons dining hall leverages its central location—between the residence halls, academic campus, and athletic campus—by incorporating lounge space that flexes between dining and after-hours use. This space invites conversation and a moment for students to touch down going to and from sporting events or build community at pre-game day gatherings, while watching the game or using it as their own gaming space.
The placement of this student lounge leverages Norse Commons’ central location. Situated along a heavily travelled pathway between residence halls and the academic and athletic campus, the lounge invites students to linger and connect before or after games.
Norse Commons’ dining hall features elements that can bring students together in other ways. At the time of Norse Commons’ renovation, NKU’s athletic program had just been elevated to Division 1 and their basketball team had become eligible to play in March Madness. A large sculpture was devised to act as a rallying point for school spirit, allowing students to make it their own by adding notes, posters, and other gear.
Different seating options allow students to use the space for eating, studying, or socializing. Options provide choices and choices can increase how often students visit and linger—increasing revenue at campus dining halls.
Dining options play a significant role in attracting and retaining students today. They are a crucial factor in choosing a school, so it’s essential to adapt the design and operation of these dining spaces. Traditional dining models are no longer sufficient for modern campuses. Attractive, flexible, and welcoming dining facilities meet students’ cravings for diverse seating options, are more equitable, and support positive student experiences. Designed correctly, these dining facilities can fulfill students’ need for connection, belonging, friendship, and networking.
Greg Pinter, AIA, LEED AP is a principal at GBBN. Greg has over twenty years of experience in all phases of design and construction with award-winning projects across the US. As part of the leadership teams for GBBN’s education market, Greg excels at bringing clients and design teams together to create higher education projects that set students up for success. His work includes University of Cincinnati’s MarketPointe and Marian Spencer Hall, and Case Western Reserve University’s Olin Building renovation.
Zachary Zettler, AIA, LEED AP is a principal and director of higher education at GBBN. With over 20 years of experience designing campus spaces, Zachary is a trusted advisor to our university clients and a recognized leader in higher education design. Zachary’s work includes University of Cincinnati’s MarketPointe and Marian Spencer Hall, Case Western Reserve University’s Susi First-Year Experience Lab, and University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library Transformation. He has published insights on repurposing campus spaces and predictive analytics in university masterplans and is frequently invited to speak at regional and national conferences.
