The Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton in New Jersey is a new commons building on the historic campus. Tasked with creating a new building with long-term architectural significance, the design integrates with the surrounding landscape and the rest of the campus, including the Institute’s flagship 1939 building Fuld Hall where Albert Einstein spent his last thinking years.Conceived as a “social condenser” for the Institute, Rubenstein Commons provides a nexus of flexible gathering spaces, supporting enhanced communication and collaboration among scholars and forming an inviting social hub for the wider IAS community.The design for Rubenstein Commons is driven by the concept of intertwining. Exterior circulation weaves into and through the building. The building is conceived as a social condenser with a variety of flexible meeting spaces supporting community and academic life on the IAS campus. The new 17,175 sqaure feet building follows the existing topography primarily in a single-level program with gradual slopes and offers views of the courtyards.The building forms an intertwining through the landscape, connecting with pools of water on the north, south, and west. The pools reflect sunlight into interior spaces, producing an atmosphere of reflection. Natural phenomena connect with science, physics, humanities, and art—corresponding to the Institute’s mission.Steven Holl Architects was selected to design the Rubenstein Commons in March 2016 from an international competition. The Institute for Advanced Study, founded in 1930 as 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. Enabled through a visionary gift from businessman and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, the Rubenstein Commons building will have a transformative impact on intellectual and communal life at IAS.
The Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton in New Jersey is a new commons building on the historic campus. Tasked with creating a new building with long-term architectural significance, the design integrates with the surrounding landscape and the rest of the campus, including the Institute’s flagship 1939 building Fuld Hall where Albert Einstein spent his last thinking years.Conceived as a “social condenser” for the Institute, Rubenstein Commons provides a nexus of flexible gathering spaces, supporting enhanced communication and collaboration among scholars and forming an inviting social hub for the wider IAS community.The design for Rubenstein Commons is driven by the concept of intertwining. Exterior circulation weaves into and through the building. The building is conceived as a social condenser with a variety of flexible meeting spaces supporting community and academic life on the IAS campus. The new 17,175 sqaure feet building follows the existing topography primarily in a single-level program with gradual slopes and offers views of the courtyards.The building forms an intertwining through the landscape, connecting with pools of water on the north, south, and west. The pools reflect sunlight into interior spaces, producing an atmosphere of reflection. Natural phenomena connect with science, physics, humanities, and art—corresponding to the Institute’s mission.Steven Holl Architects was selected to design the Rubenstein Commons in March 2016 from an international competition. The Institute for Advanced Study, founded in 1930 as 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. Enabled through a visionary gift from businessman and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, the Rubenstein Commons building will have a transformative impact on intellectual and communal life at IAS.
