The student population at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa has dramatically increased. In 1901, 396 students attended the school. Over the past century, the student body has grown to 18,500. In response to the growth, the university has had to reshape the campus and several of its buildings to accommodate the flourishing numbers. One change made to the campus took place in the busy Ferguson Center, where slate was used in the floor renovation.
As the hub for campus activity, the Ferguson Center is both a very high-trafficked area and an integral part of the university campus. In response to the university's growing desire to upgrade its facilities, architects from the KPS Group Inc. in Birmingham, AL, went to the campus to renovate the area surrounding the Information Desk, the Starbucks Caf¿nd the Food Court located within the Ferguson Center. Jasper Cornett, the project manager and Senior Associate at KPS, explained that the overall design goal of the upgrade was to renovate the existing flooring in the center to make it more functional. Cornett also chose natural stone over porcelain tile and other man-made materials because he wanted the facility to promote a comfortable natural atmosphere. After exploring several slate options, Cornett decided to use Indian Multicolor Slate throughout the facility.