On Sept. 15, Auburn University’s School of Hospitality Management held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, a six-floor, 142,000-sf mixed-use building that includes a boutique hotel, culinary and commercial baking labs, a teaching restaurant, a spa, functioning rooftop garden, food hall, café, courtyard and concierge-style hotel suites.
Cooper Carry designed this project, which was built by Bailey-Harris Construction. The construction included mass timber components that were donated by Jimmy Rane, president and CEO of Great Southern Wood in Abbeville, Ala. (The building is named in honor of Rane’s parents.) The Center is part of Auburn’s College of Human Sciences, which offers students opportunities to train with leading chefs and hospitality experts. Ithaka Hospitality serves as the commercial operator in partnership with the College of Human Sciences.
“As a land-grant institution, our mission is to put practical knowledge into the hands of those who can use it, create economic opportunities, and improve the quality of our lives. I believe the Rane Culinary Science Center will do just that,” said Christopher B. Roberts, Auburn University’s president.
Click here for a virtual tour of the building.
![Culinary Science Center restaurant and food hall](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Culinary%20Center%20restaurant%20food%20hall.jpg)
The Center blends academic and revenue-generating elements. The building’s first floor focuses on culinary sciences. A fine-dining restaurant called 1856, and the food hall Hey Day Market, with nine vendor stalls, are on this floor, which also features a two-story wine room with an international stock.
One of the vendor stalls serves as an incubator where students can develop business concepts and even launch start-up operations.
The building’s second and third floors focus on beverage experiences, and include a wine appreciation learning center with 50 tasting tables, distilled beverages classroom, a brewing lab, expo kitchen, and collaborative spaces. The third floor has several adaptive learning classrooms and a culinary lab with AV equipment for honing students’ skills at photographing F&B creations to leverage social media.
![The Culinary Center's expo kitchen](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Culinary%20kitchen_0.jpg)
On the top three floors, The Laurel Hotel & Spa offers 16 rooms, 10 suites, six residences, a spa, fitness studio, rooftop pool, and yoga pavilion. The hotel provides students with learning how to operate a hospitality facility. The 41,000-sf rooftop gardens were designed and are maintained by Auburn University’s College of Agriculture’s horticulture department.
In forming the design team, Cooper Carry drew upon the expertise of the firm’s Higher Education Studio, Hospitality Studio, The Johnson Studio, Retail Studio and Science + Technology Studio. Several Cooper Carry designers who are also Auburn University graduates worked on the project.
Related Stories
| Dec 2, 2011
Goody Clancy awarded Ohio State residential project
The project, which is focused on developing a vibrant on-campus community of learning for OSU undergraduates.
| Nov 23, 2011
Griffin Electric completes Gwinnett Tech project
Accommodating up to 3,000 students annually beginning this fall, the 78,000-sf, three-story facility consists of thirteen classrooms and twelve high-tech laboratories, in addition to several lecture halls and faculty offices.
| Nov 18, 2011
Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability opens
Designed to exceed LEED Platinum, the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) is one of the most innovative and high performance buildings in North America today, demonstrating leading-edge green building design products, technologies, and systems.
| Nov 11, 2011
Streamline Design-build with BIM
How construction manager Barton Malow utilized BIM and design-build to deliver a quick turnaround for Georgia Tech’s new practice facility.
| Nov 11, 2011
AIA: Engineered Brick + Masonry for Commercial Buildings
Earn 1.0 AIA/CES learning units by studying this article and successfully completing the online exam.
| Nov 4, 2011
Two Thornton Tomasetti projects win NCSEA’s 2011 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards
Altra Sede Regione Lombardia and Bank of Oklahoma Center both recognized.
| Oct 17, 2011
Clery Act report reveals community colleges lacking integrated mass notification systems
“Detailed Analysis of U.S. College and University Annual Clery Act Reports” study now available.
| Oct 14, 2011
University of New Mexico Science & Math Learning Center attains LEED for Schools Gold
Van H. Gilbert architects enhances sustainability credentials.
| Oct 12, 2011
Bulley & Andrews celebrates 120 years of construction
The family-owned and operated general contractor attributes this significant milestone to the strong foundation built decades ago on honesty, integrity, and service in construction.