W hen you're given a commission on the campus of Princeton University, you have tot try hard to make everyone happy. The building has to blend seamlessly into the existing architecture, much of which is historic or neo-Gothic. At the same time, you have to meet modern HVAC, internet, meeting, lighting, and other standards that pull in the opposite direction. SVBA had some experience already on campus, so the environment surrounding this double-hall wasn't anything new to them. They had the advantage of being next to a building from the 1960's, so their 1990's style doesn't seem so out of place. It incorporates a lot of red brick and limestone that will age nicely and only seem more appropriate as time goes on. The curves of the building form bay windows evocative of the English manor houses Princeton's original architects were all too familiar with. Consider it a modern, conservative, interpretation of such a dwelling.
