Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Princeton Theological Seminary Restores 1800s-Era Residence Hall

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/19/22

Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J., recently completed the restoration of the second-oldest residence hall on campus, according to a news release. The college partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects LLP (VMA) to modernize Brown Hall, built in 1864. The work covered 46,500 square feet and included interior renovation and exterior rehabilitation, selective demolition, civil work, and landscaping, the news release reports.

The building’s new design exchanges the traditional dorm layout (double-occupancy rooms and communal hallway restrooms) for individual bedrooms featuring private bathrooms. Each floor has a lounge area for group study and socializing, featuring furniture made of wood salvaged from the restoration process. The first floor includes a central lounge area and a kitchenette. Additions also include new lighting fixtures, a new elevator, window blinds, and tiled bathroom floors, according to the news release.

Exterior renovations include a new portico on the north façade and an additional entrance to link the residence hall to the rest of campus, creating a central quad area. The roof now features removable dormers that allow easier access to updated MEP and fire-protection systems. The building has also been updated for accessibility, featuring new ramps with handrails leading to the main entrance.

Princeton Theological Seminary partnered with structural engineer Keast & Hood, MEP engineer Ewing Cole, civil engineer Van Note-Harvey Associates, landscape architect ML Baird & Co. and general contractor Irwin & Leighton.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Barbara Vick Western Branch

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Barbara Vick Western Branch has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Grand Prize award in the category of Renovation.

  • Phoenix School District Breaks Ground on New Prep Academy

    The Creighton Elementary School District near Phoenix, Ariz., recently broke ground on a campus replacement for Biltmore Preparatory Academy, according to a news release. The new space will allow the school to expand its enrollment by 50 percent for K–8 students and accommodate modern, collaborative learning styles.

  • Dallas ISD Voters Approve $6.2B Bond Package

    Dallas ISD voters have approved a record-setting $6.2-billion bond package that district leaders say will modernize aging campuses, eliminate portable classrooms and reshape learning environments across one of the nation’s largest school systems.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.