Princeton University — new residential colleges built for community
Princeton, NJ
485,000 square feet
Expected completion 2022
Type: Academic
We are currently designing two new residential colleges for Princeton University, each serving 500 students. The 485,000-square-foot project represents a major expansion of the campus and a first step in the university’s upcoming 30-year campus plan.
The University has done a lot of thinking and reflection on what it wants to be in the 21st century: diverse, inclusive, a place where all students feel a sense of belonging. We share these values, and are excited to give them architectural expression.
Maitland Jones, Partner
Key People
Collaborators
Deborah Berke Partners
Architect, Interior Designer
James Corner Field Operations
Landscape Architect
Hanbury
Programming Consultant
Silman
Structural Engineer
ADS Engineers
MEP/FP Engineer
Langan
Civil Engineer
Atelier Ten
Sustainability Consultant
Front, Inc.
Facade Consultant
Nasco
Estimating Consultant
Ricca Design Studios
Food Service Consultant
One Lux
Lighting Designer
R.W. Sullivan
Code Consultant
Theater Projects
Theater Design Consultant
Context
1/9
The most rewarding goal of the design process for this project has been to foster a sense of belonging through the built environment – to create spaces where different backgrounds and viewpoints will be represented, respected and welcomed.
Our design emphasizes visibility and interconnectedness, making students aware these are shared spaces by visually connecting the activities within: the common room is visible from the main entrance, the dining hall extends through interior and exterior areas, and the library opens up to light and the surrounding landscape. First-floor public programs are placed in a transparent “storefront” base throughout the eight buildings, so that the activities within are visibly shared with the entire community.
The visibility of internal spaces extends to the organization of the facade, where at moments, the building’s program is expressed externally. Interior spaces are programmatically flexible, capable of responding to the student body’s changing needs, and pin-up walls and interactive art elements allow students to make the space their own.
A sense of personal belonging is ultimately created through experience and discovery, so we are scattering “messaging” elements through the spaces – subtle, yet special moments in unexpected places, ranging from art intervention at the scale of a building to interactive exhibits at the scale of an object. They are something you discover over time – something only you know about. Naturally, we can’t choreograph everything in advance, but our design interventions can be a catalyst to start the process of belonging.
