Friday Feature: Architecture and Design at Duke's West Campus Union

Our Friday Features offer in-depth looks at some of our favorite recent shoots. Refill your coffee mug, take a seat, and dive into inspiring stories served with serious photo eye candy!In February, Duke University's new West Campus Union was named one of "The 9 Best New University Buildings in the World" by Architectural Digest. It has been featured in Architectural Record, the industry's go-to journal. According to the Triangle Business Journal, it took 3 years of construction to complete, and cost an estimated $90 million.Oh, and one more thing: we were hired to photograph it.To be clear about it, we weren't the only photographers involved. An enormous project like the Union requires dozens of subcontractors, and they all want to show off their work on a high profile design and build.We were called in by Shickel Corporation, a custom metalwork company out of Bridgewater, Virginia. They've been creating impressive products for customers for more than 80 years! At Duke, they were responsible for making and installing blackened steel metal panels, stair and hand railings, stainless steel vent hoods, and all of the decorative metal work.To capture this enormous project, we visited campus at different times of day. The Union looked amazing at night, with light spilling out from its glass exterior.Sunlight flattered the build in an entirely different way.We delivered Shickel a mix of interior and exterior shots, detail-focused images and ones with a broader perspective.Close up or far away, this was a shoot we were proud to be a part of! We'll leave you with more of our favorite photos from it, but you can check out the full gallery here.And, if you're looking to show off your own work on a build, you can check out our options for construction site, aerial, and exterior photography here. No matter your contribution, we'll help you show it off at its best.