The new Digital Learning Commons at the Rutgers University Archibald S. Alexander Library provides students in over 16 courses of study and four professional schools with spacious collaborative and study space. Designed by Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc., the commons is part of the oldest and largest of the New Brunswick campus libraries.
The library is the main social sciences and humanities center of study and is also home to Special Collections, University Archives, and the East Asian Library. With full accessibility, the library’s modernization project includes an open concept approach providing a welcoming atmosphere and spacious areas for group meetings, research, project development, and study sessions.
The color palette highlights the open concept design with bright tones that complement the natural light streaming in from windows. The redesign also incorporates adaptable furniture, sound barriers, and a variety of seating zones designated for either silent study or active task work.
“Our design vision focused on creating an open and inviting environment that integrated a variety of technology and services, while at the same time capitalizing on the existing physical qualities of the space—which included high ceilings, dynamic views, and natural light,” said John Wright, principal, Higher Education at Spiezle, in a news release. “Improving the student experience was at the forefront of every decision. Now more than ever, it is crucial to create responsive and adaptable learning spaces, focused on student and faculty wellbeing, that support and promote the diverse offerings that truly define the Rutgers experience.”
“The Digital Learning Commons have already become a feature destination standout on the College Avenue campus, and will inspire social and educational advancement for decades to come,” Wright added.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
Design architect: Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc.
Architect of record: Spiezle Architectural Group, Inc.
MEP engineer: Schiller and Hersh Associates
Structural engineer: Harrison-Hamnett, PC
General contractor/construction manager: Unity Construction Services
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Texas school goes for traditional look
Children in McKinney, Texas, will have a new school to attend next year. The 92,213-sf Lizzie Nell Cundiff McClure Elementary School will provide 44 classrooms, library space, a science lab, an auditorium, and a practice gym. PBK Architects and contractor Cadence McShane are cladding the exterior in masonry and stone accents to give the facility a traditional look.
| Aug 11, 2010
Private school in La Jolla gets a much-needed facelift
Faced with an aging campus with cramped classrooms, crumbling infrastructure, and outdated technology, La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day School recently completed a modernization that will add a 7,800-sf kindergarten. An early childhood/preschool village houses classrooms and computer, science, and language art facilities.
| Aug 11, 2010
Massachusetts charter school undergoes expansion
A 31,000-sf expansion/renovation of Prospect Hill Academy Charter School, a K-12 preparatory public charter school in Somerville and Cambridge, Mass., will include a versatile central gathering space on the main floor for tutorials and other uses. New offices for college counseling, a writing center, and a senior study room also will grace the ground floor, with upper levels housing science lab...
| Aug 11, 2010
Replacement school puts old school's materials to good use
Replacing an existing school in the University School District near St. Louis, Mo., the new Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School will accommodate up to 500 students in 24 classrooms. The $13 million school spans 64,834 sf and will use recycled elements from the old building, including mosaic tiles from water fountains, an entryway tile mural, and a freestanding masonry bench.
| Aug 11, 2010
Cherokee Nation center employs eco-friendly features
Three new schools for K-12 students are the focus of a $108 million, 473,000-sf Cherokee Nation multipurpose complex based in Cherokee, N.C. Designed by Padgett & Freeman Architects and built by BE&K Building Group, the center was designed to reflect the art and heritage of the Cherokee people, evidenced by the seven-sided shape of the two courtyard areas and traditional basketweave pat...
| Aug 11, 2010
Hillside school sports exciting shape
An education facility for 1,200 students and 300 teachers will grace a hillside in the Faroe Islands town of Torshavn. The 19,200-sm Faroe Islands Education Centre, designed by Copenhagen-based Bjarke Ingels Group, will have a panoramic view overlooking the sea, mountains, and harbor. The building's vortex shape radiates toward its surroundings while drawing attention to the center of the school.
| Aug 11, 2010
New Union City school to use remnants from old building
With 35 classrooms, a media center, science labs, and music rooms, Columbus Elementary School #3 in Union City, N.J., is being built on a confined site, so designer RSC Architects, in conjunction with HOK, will implement underground parking and a rooftop playground. RSC Architects also salvaged classical porticos from a former school at the site; they will be reused to create dramatic entryways...
| Aug 11, 2010
High-density planning allows abundant open space
Gilroy Unified School District's new Christopher High School in California opened its first phase this fall. The 1,800-student, 231,000-sf facility was designed with a high-density site plan that allows for both on-site sports fields and undeveloped open space. BCA Architects of Fremont, Calif., with Gilbane Building Companies as CM, collaborated with numerous user groups to plan the two-story,...
| Aug 11, 2010
And the world's tallest building is…
At more than 2,600 feet high, the Burj Dubai (right) can still lay claim to the title of world's tallest building—although like all other super-tall buildings, its exact height will have to be recalculated now that the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announced a change to its height criteria.
