by design
CAMPUS DINING
B Y
D E S I G N
THE ROCK CAFÉ at Ferris State University
C A M P U S D I N I N G TO DAY
12
Photos courtesy of STV Architects
F
erris State University administrators wanted the school to become a more engaged campus and create new connections between the classroom, campus, and community members. One key component in accomplishing this goal was the extreme makeover of The Rock Café, which is located on the south campus in the heart of the freshmen residential community. The makeover transformed the facility into a state-ofthe-art, contemporary dining venue that is inviting, efficient, and flexible. “We wanted the servery to be operated as an anytime residential dining venue with the flexibility to modulate service areas and options for summer conferences and during non-academic periods,” says Lori Helmer, director of dining services. “We also wanted to boost meal plan revenue opportunities, improve customer satisfaction, and assist the university in enhancing its overall image with prospective and existing students and their families. The project was the culmination of 15 years of dreaming, five years of planning, and five months of construction.” The transformation became a reality as a result of a campus-wide master plan developed by Porter Khouw Consulting principals David Porter and Albin Khouw. Recommendations in the master plan were incorporated into market-style dining at the Rock Café.
The exterior is in the style of the campus architecture.
Among the highlights of the Rock Café are continuous dining from Monday through Sunday (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch) from 7 a.m. until midnight; an array of serving stations; a focus on exhibition-style cooking; smooth flowing, integrated design with no boundaries between serving and dining; a variety of seating options, including a 25-foot serpentine-style community table; and an adjacent convenience store. The seating area includes a private dining room and soft seating area with a fireplace. The back-ofthe-house area is storage and receiving only. All food prep and cooking is done in the front of the house. Stations feature durable solid-top serving counters with wood veneers on the customer side and stainless steel on the operator side. “The key to our success was detailed interfacing between all team members,” Helmer says. “We all had a lot of meetings to discuss menu profiles, production styles, storage requirements, and a host of other issues.”
FROM PAST TO PRESENT
In order to appreciate the results, understanding the pre-renovation condition is crucial. “Prior to the renovation, the Rock Café was dated and somewhat uninviting because the servery was tight, and menu variety and selection were somewhat limited and featured limited exhibition cooking,”