Campus-wide collaboration leads to permanent outdoor lounge space

Fireside on Manchester – the fire pits and Adirondack chairs arranged on the lower quad for the spring 2021 semester – now has a permanent home on newly laid brick platforms installed at the north end of Manchester Plaza.

The outdoor gathering space, which had been spread across the plaza lawn, was developed last year to provide opportunities for students to socialize comfortably outside while maintaining social distance amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lights were added to the area to maximize the use of the space after dark.

Colleagues from all corners of the University gathered throughout the year to brainstorm community spaces and events for students that aligned with public health guidelines for minimizing spread of the virus; the creation of this outdoor “living room” was one of the most significant results.

Fireside on Manchester allowed Wake Forest to host outdoor events like Wakechella, Spring Wake, the Tuesday Food Truck Series, SOAR awards and more. Other popular uses included movie nights, game watch events in partnership with Athletics, and outdoor study groups. Positive reviews of the fire pits last year have led to their permanent placement. During the day, anyone can use them. Chairs with various types of accessibility will also be available to accommodate everyone. At night, groups will be able to reserve the settings for multipurpose gatherings. The pits will not be lit until later in the year. However, people around campus are still welcome to sit and gather around them.

“We are excited about the evolution of Manchester Plaza,” said Amy Ciaccia, director of finance and operations in the Office of the Dean of Students. “When we could start doing things out there, it was wonderful to see students gathering safely. To see students face-to-face was huge.”

Facilities and Campus Services proposed the idea to enhance the space by creating brick pavers to be more cohesive with dining facilities. Along with Student Engagement staff, colleagues from every level of Facilities worked to create this welcoming environment for the Wake Forest community.

“50 to 100 people from different offices were engaged,” said Tim Wilkinson, associate dean of student engagement. “Facilities were just phenomenal. It was a campus-wide partner lift.”