Photo by Robert Hall, courtesy of Oakland University

First built in 1959, South Foundation Hall has been one of Oakland University’s oldest buildings, standing alongside North Foundation Hall and the Oakland Center as the original three buildings Oakland University had to offer when they first opened their doors.

Since February 2021, South Foundation Hall has been shut down and under renovations in order to expand the space by 25,000 square feet from the building’s original 55,041 square feet and update the building to a modern 21st century design.

As of July 8, the main renovations on South Foundation Hall have been completed, adding to the traditional red brick exterior by sporting light gray metal along its walls, large glass windows and an overhang reminiscent of the Engineering Center’s design. Originally holding 37 classrooms, South Foundation Hall’s remodel adds 10 more classrooms, as well as an updated lounge area for students to study.

Jean Ann Miller, the senior director for the Office for Student Involvement, has been guiding private tours of the updated building, and assures that along with the increase in classrooms, the new rooms won’t be cramped for students.

“The classrooms, especially in the front where all the windows are, they’re huge,” Miller said. “The rooms are inviting to interact with the professors and have a great classroom atmosphere that will be very welcoming and not stuffy.”

Being both a faculty member and an alumni, Miller explains how the differences between the old building and the new building are striking.

“Having been here all these years, seeing it from a student perspective and seeing it from a staff perspective, the whole thing is just a wow factor,” Miller said. “What we’ve seen so far, the outside and the inside, they just match in terms of that wow factor of what it used to be to what it is now.”

While a majority of the building is finished, the building is not yet open to the public, as finishing touches are being made. While the furniture has yet to be implemented, Miller gives a glimpse of how the furniture will be unique.

“The furniture is supposed to be very mobile, so students have the opportunity for how they want to interact with each other,” Miller said. “Hopefully that will be helpful with ways that they can configure the furniture, but that’s one piece I haven’t seen.”

One defining feature of the old South Foundation Hall was its atrium, commonly referred to as the fish bowl. Although the landmark was not brought back with the new renovation, Miller explains how members of the staff are searching for a way to bring it back.

“We’ve had a discussion about [the fish bowl] because we want to bring that back in some way to memorialize it,” Miller said. “It’s there that we’re going to be able to do the bake sales or give other opportunities for student organizations to use it. The concept is coming back, we just don’t know what it’s gonna look like.”

South Foundation Hall will be open to students and faculty as of the Fall 2024 semester, growing in its design and ideas for years to come.