Institute For Advanced Study celebrates construction of new campus building at groundbreaking ceremony

The Institute for Advanced Study held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the start of construction for the Rubenstein Commons, a new $20 million campus building.

Steven Holl Architects designed the building that will provide space for collaboration among faculty and scholars at the Institute.

“The Rubenstein Commons building underscores the importance and relevance of the Institute’s unique, independent, and cross-disciplinary environment for scholars,” said Institute Director Robbert Dijkgraaf. “This building will provide scholars with new opportunities to question fearlessly, collaborate, discover, and create new lines of inquiry and knowledge that change our understanding of the world.”

The project was made possible by a gift from Institute Trustee David Rubenstein, co-founder and co executive chairman of the Carlyle Group.

“The Institute is a true national treasure, bringing together the greatest minds to solve some of the world’s greatest problems,” Rubenstein said . “I am extremely proud to be associated with the Institute and its quest to make society better.”

The Commons 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 rooms, and a lounge with a cafe. The Commons will also house office space and will be a venue for displaying images and materials that illustrate the Institute’s  history and influence in the world, and its scholarly community through exhibits, images, and archival materials.

“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. We hope the new generation of scholars will enjoy the Rubenstein Commons as it brings the community together with inviting spaces,” said Steven Holl.

Founded in 1930, the Institute for Advanced Study is one of the world’s leading centers for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. Work at the Institute takes place in four schools: historical studies, mathematics, natural sciences, and social science.  Its more than 8,000 former members have held positions of intellectual and scientific leadership throughout the academic world. Thirty-three Nobel Laureates and 41 out of 56 Fields Medalists, as well as many winners of the Wolf and MacArthur prizes, have been affiliated with the Institute.