WMU Student Center
Location: Western Michigan University - Kalamazoo, MI
Construction Manager: Walbridge
Concrete Contractor: Granger Construction Company
Concrete Supplier: Consumers Concrete
Design Engineer: Cannon Design
Owner: Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University’s vibrant and distinctive new Student Center and Dining Facility in Kalamazoo is truly a unique structure combining state-of-the-art design with cutting-edge construction techniques. The three-story, 165,000-square-foot building, located in the heart of campus, will open in Fall 2022 and offer a number of amenities, services, and gathering spaces. The first two floors will contain most of the student-focused functions, while the third floor includes administrative office space and a full-service Dining Center.
Granger was selected by Wallbridge (CM) & WMU through a competitive bid process to perform both the structural and site concrete packages for this three-story building. The structural concrete package involved a complex foundation design, over 10,000 cubic yards of concrete placed in 11 months, 1,400 tons of rebar, 90,000 square feet of bubbles installed for the bubble deck, 115,000 square feet of supported slabs, and 215,000 square feet of flatwork placed and finished. This all occurred while maintaining an aggressive schedule despite poor soils that ended up getting undercut and replaced.
What’s truly unique about this project is that it’s the first building in Michigan and only the third in the U.S. to utilize the innovative BubbleDeck™ Technology for the elevated concrete decks. This patented technique of linking air, steel, and concrete in a two-way structural slab creates voids in the slab by using 12” hollow plastic balls in a grid formation. Each wire mesh grid section is prefabricated offsite and, once delivered to the project, put together like an intricate puzzle to construct the concrete decks, which makes floor slabs lighter and stronger by incorporating large, hollow plastic balls in a lattice of steel.
Being the first-ever BubbleDeck project in Michigan and a rare technique industrywide meant the team had to overcome a pretty significant learning curve. Through extensive research, including visiting similar project sites and consulting with those teams, meticulous planning, and spot-on execution, Granger crews were able to deliver this concrete package safely, on time, and with excellent quality.
As a result of this alternative approach, which drastically reduces structural dead weight, WMU was able to incorporate more expansive, open interior spaces and greater column bay spacing into the design of this new welcoming and engaging facility.
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