A residential college needs a modern, well-functioning, comfortable place where students can connect

The new facility will incorporate a "servery" that clusters nine themed stations into a sort of critical mass of temptation

Architect, location, features

Envisioning the new Dining Commons

Before moving ahead, Bates took a look at the culture of Bates dining

Dining Services currently dishes up 4,000 meals a day in Commons and caters another 5,000 events annually. Clearly, as Dean of Students Tedd Goundie says, "Bates people have a great affinity for gathering and being with each other"

About 1,000 Bates people put the new dining Commons to the test over dinner on Monday, Feb. 25, 2008