Princeton Arts and Fitness Center Project Statement

"Princeton University is undergoing strategic interventions under a new master plan. Core values include creating a campus of 'neighborhoods', enhancing connections to the community, sustainable building design, and better water management."


This program for a new campus center is for the west side dormitories, which presently are under-served. It must bridge between the student and community. This project will address issues of materiality, boundary, and formal logics.

Base Program: Total net approx. 18,000 s.f.
The program consists of two components: a West Campus Arts Commons and Fitness Center.

General Considerations:
Natural daylighting, enviromentally sensitive materials, rain water collection, green roofs, regulation of heat loss, bike storage, night-lighting effects, handicap accessibility, two means of egress for fire exiting.

West Campus Commons:
Open Cafe:
public/private
4200 sf--The cafe is to be accessible by patrons of the McCarter/Berlind theaters across street, RR station patrons, campus visitors, and UG and G students. The cafe will be wireless and may be programmed as a sports cafe or a book store cafe. It also must be handicap accesible.

Reading Room+Lounge
private
3200 sf--Reading room must contain shelving for books and tables for study. To include an area for 4 computer stations to access the film library: Digitally accessd films from Uni collection. These programs may be together or seperate.

Music Recital Room:
public/private
3000 sf--Should have some storage capability and must be visually accessible to others outside the room.

4 Music Practice Cells:
private
400 sf--Each is a small, 100sf acoustically controlled room.

4 Art Studios:
public/private
2400 sf--Rooms are approx. 600sf each. Each provides for a changing room, easel and other art storage, slop sinks and eyewash stations. Lockers for art equipment must be provided. Each room must have natural ventilation and north facing light. For at least one room, provide an area to observe artists in process.

Film Screening Room:
private
600 sf--A small theater to preview student and otehr films, accommodating 60-80 seats. The room may have raked floor.

College Office:
private
300 sf--To accommodate record keeping and student support services.

Fitness Center:
Activities Room:
Private
3916 sf--A multi-purpose facility suitable for a variety of activities including martial arts, table tennis, fitness training, dance, and yoga. The center contains a sprung maple floor, a large number of floor mats, wall mirrors, a high quality sound system, and several flat screen television monitors. The center is to accommodate cardio exercise machines and a dedicated ping pong area to accommodate 4 ping pong tables, and provide natural day lighting.
Upper level viewing area of the ping pong tables.
Cardioequipment: 11 Treadmills, 11 Total body cross trainers 8 upright cycles, 8 Concept Rowers, 6 Recumbent Cycle, 4 Climbers, 6 Airdyne Bikes

Other Supporting Space:
Lobby, Restrooms, Locker Storage, Changing Rooms

X-factor:
Designated exterior space for outdoor films, small oconcerts, book market, or an activity of designation.