W.S. Cumby provided construction management services for the construction of the 20,000 SF Rubenstein Commons at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. The Rubenstein Commons building includes social and meeting spaces for scholars, as well as a gallery space for the display of the Institute’s history, a basement living room and entertainment space, an indoor/outdoor café, and faculty offices.

The project’s scope of work includes the ground-up construction of a building designed by world-class architect Steven Holl. The Rubenstein Commons features four intertwined reflecting pools with underwater photovoltaics, as well as high-end finishes including prismatic glass windows and a unique copper roof shaped into intersecting geometric “space curves.” The Commons’ interior finishes contain slate chalkboard walls and wood wall and flooring finishes. The Rubenstein Commons supports community and academic life on the IAS campus, promoting communication and collaboration. Providing a communal and flexible gathering place for the Institute’s research scholars, the building tells the story of the Institute’s heritage and extraordinary scholarly community, as well as current and future efforts.