The dining hall is designed to be a focal pavilion that provides a strong visual reference for the campus with a sloped metal roof and cedar wood, metal panel, siding and extensive glass walls. The building takes inspiration from the stark beauty of the high desert with informal open spaces and an aesthetic with clean lines and materials that are native to the region. Large overhangs provide shade and rain/snow protection and allow for extensive glazing at the south building face. The exterior is clad in natural stained cedar to reflect the heavily wooded setting.

The spaces within are scaled in a variety of ways to give users options for dining in larger groups, casual meeting, and quiet areas for individual studying between classes. Inside, a soaring fireplace connects the large dining space with a smaller scale space that has a coffee bar with private booths. Administrative offices are spread between the first and second levels and are mixed with classrooms and student community spaces. In all, this two-story building features eight classrooms, and can accommodate 250 diners.

The dining hall was designed and built simultaneously with the new OSU-Cascades Residence Hall. With the goal of being the nation’s first net-zero campus, both buildings have the ability to connect to sustainable power sources in the future. The broad sloping roofs face south to allow for future PV panels for energy generation. Waste and storm water reuse is planned for future phases.