Steven Holl-designed Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study breaks ground

Back in March 2016, Steven Holl Architects was named the winner in the international competition to design the new Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Now, exactly two years later, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the $20-million commons building—located near its original 1939 Fuld Hall building where Albert Einstein spent his last working years.

"On this special day, we celebrate the Institute’s rich academic history and its inspiring future, and move one step closer to the realization of this important piece of architecture," said Steven Holl. "We hope the new generation of scholars will enjoy the Rubenstein Commons as it brings the community together with inviting spaces."

Read on for more details from Steven Holl Architects:

"The Commons is conceived as a welcoming and flexible environment for interaction among the permanent Faculty and visiting scholars, and will greatly enhance the Institute’s role as a convener of academic thought and activities across the sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The building will be located to the east of Fuld Hall to provide convenient access for resident scholars and short-term visitors, and will feature a conference space, meeting venue for displaying images and materials that illustrate the Institute’s remarkable history, its extraordinary significance and influence throughout the world, and its exceptional scholarly community through exhibits, images, and archival materials."

"The Institute and Steven Holl Architects also celebrated the 139th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s birth. The father of modern physics worked at IAS from 1933 until his death in 1955."

"Steven Holl Architects currently has seven projects under construction, including the Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU, which will open on April 21, and the Glassell School of Art, which will open on May 20. The Rubenstein Commons is Steven Holl Architects’ second building in Princeton, NJ, with the Lewis Arts Complex at Princeton University completed in October 2017."