A LEED® Gold project, Union South at UW-Madison hosts hundreds of university events per semester and its Varsity Hall space is one of the most-used spaces on campus. The onsite student-run hotel, located within the facility, attracts conferences, corporate meetings and alumni weddings year round. Since so many flexible set-ups are required weekly, the set-up needed to be able to move smoothly and quickly by the facility’s mainly student-run staff.
SOLUTION
University of Wisconsin’s Union South installed Hufcor 600 Series operable partitions for optimal flexibility in the Varsity Hall ballroom. The Frank Lloyd Wright prairie-style inspired architecture of Union South was complemented by the operable partitions that blend in with the natural accents of the space. The real wood veneers enrich the décor and add to the acoustical performance of the movable wall dividers. The Hufcor 600 Series panels move effortlessly on an overhead aluminum tracking system that offers guaranteed durability and smooth operation.
In addition to the operable panels that divide the ballrooms, Hufcor installed a custom timber-framed sliding door system to provide egress from each of the meeting spaces. The doors offer panic swing doors and can be folded and stacked into adjacent storage closets, allowing free flow into common areas outside the meeting rooms.
RESULTS
Hufcor’s operable partitions provide a beautiful and effective solution for dividing Varsity Hall on demand. With the help of Hufcor’s operable partitions, the nearly 11,000 square foot ballroom can be divided with speed and ease into three separate spaces to accommodate events and conferences of different sizes.