The Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ, opens October 28, 2022. The 17,175-sf building is conceived as a social condenser with a variety of flexible meeting spaces supporting community and academic life on campus.
The Institute, one of the world’s leading centers for curiosity-driven research, is unique in its dedication to providing scholars with the tools, colleagues, environment, and freedom to pursue groundbreaking research. Scholars are free from administrative and teaching obligations, and enjoy a tranquil campus setting, spanning 589 acres.
SHA was selected in March 2016 from an international competition. Tasked with creating a new building with long-term architectural significance, the design integrates with the rest of campus, including the Institute’s flagship 1939 building Fuld Hall where Albert Einstein spent his last thinking years, and the surrounding landscape. Porous, light, and open, exterior circulation weaves easily into and through the building. Natural phenomena connect with science, physics, humanities, and art— corresponding to the Institute’s mission.
Photo 1 preview of the Rubenstein Commons courtesy Paul Warchol; watercolors 2-3 illustrate the intertwining concept driving the design, courtesy Steven Holl