OSU-Cascades dining and academic building now named Obsidian Hall

Obsidian Hall; Oregon State University - Cascades; OSU-Cascades; Bend, Ore.
Obsidian Hall was completed in 2016, the year the Bend OSU campus opened.
Dec. 3, 2018

Obsidian Hall: that is the new name of the dining and academic building at Oregon State University – Cascades following a campus-wide engagement campaign involving students, faculty, staff and stakeholders.

Signage designating the building name was recently installed on the west and north faces of the building.

The process to name the building included a call for students and employees to suggest names that represent Central Oregon’s flora, fauna or geography, and that were in keeping with OSU’s building and place names policies. Of the 13 submissions, the campus community provided feedback on the final three names, with Obsidian being the favorite.

Obsidian is a glossy, black and naturally occurring volcanic glass. It is formed when molten lava rapidly cools. Obsidian is found in Central Oregon in areas where lava flowed.

The color of obsidian brings to mind one of OSU’s school colors - black. Additionally, the design of Obsidian Hall features black trim and accents, making the new name particularly fitting. 

Obsidian Hall was completed in 2016, the year the Bend campus opened. Sustainability components of the building include net zero-ready and energy efficiency features such as use of regional wood materials, a hydronic heating and cooling system, water-saving devices, triple-glazed windows, and readiness for connection to a possible future campus-wide heating plant.

It is home to the Beaver Dam dining center and coffee shop, four classrooms including a maker’s space, and administrative offices.

Note to Editors: Digital images are available for download and use with this article: https://bit.ly/2zwfHaD and https://bit.ly/2FVazCL

About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2016.