In 2010, Liberty University embarked on a building campaign to recast the campus’ physical identity and envision a new physical core. A reinvigorated commitment to a student-centered landscape sparked the elimination of metal buildings and parking lots to make way for a new Commons. The keystone of the Commons is the Montview Union, an addition to DeMoss Hall that fronts the Campus Walk and energizes its full east edge. The Montview Union is a gathering place for students, faculty, and student life professionals at the locus of the university community.

The Union’s entrance is marked by a graceful canopy and monumental steps that reach out to the campus and engage the landscape. The exterior’s sense of solidity is balanced by careful attention to materials that add texture and color to the interior. The building’s massing forms a multi-story atrium, a central gathering space where filtered natural light penetrates deep into the building to animate the space.

Student lounges, study spaces, and meeting rooms provide flexible places for studying and gathering. A multipurpose room on the top floor offers views of campus while a bowling alley and technology-rich game areas on lower levels encourage recreational fun. Resource offices are distributed throughout the building to serve and support students. The Center for Multicultural Enrichment and the Military Veterans Center help champion the Union’s mission through outreach and events that build a diverse educational community. The Union’s dining options create socially rich destinations where students can gather to share meals and strengthen connections.