Thanks to an anonymous $10 million donation, Princeton has revealed plans to build a new building for their music program. The project will present the prestigious Ivy League school with approximately 23,000 additional square feet for their growing program. The building will house a new performance and rehearsal space with adjustable elements to improve acoustics as well as additional classrooms for educational purposes and a digital recording studio. Designed by American Institute of Architects Gold Medalist Steven Holl, the project is scheduled to open in 2017. Once complete, it will serve as the home of the Lewis Center for the Arts on campus.
The new music building will be located on the southern edge of campus in a new arts complex, and it will act as supplemental to the already existing Woolworth Center of Musical Studies. In an official press release from Princeton, President Christopher L. Eisgruber spoke with excitement regarding the new development in the arts complex. “This splendid gift will benefit our student musicians and the audiences who come to hear them,” he said. He went on to thank the donor, respecting his wish to retain his anonyminity. “We are excited about seeing the arts at Princeton reach their full potential, and we are grateful to our generous alumni and friends for helping to make it possible.”
Although the alumnus has chosen to remain anonymous, they have released a statement commenting on their desire to give back to the school. “Attending Princeton was a formative process. It was there that I developed a deep and lasting interest in the arts.” He went on to explain that he and his wife decided to support current and future students. “When my wife and I visited campus and witnessed the engagement, curiosity, and passion of so many students…the decision to be a part of the team in promoting the arts at Princeton was an easy one.” As a sign of gratitude for his donation, the funder will have the opportunity to name the building once complete.
Construction on the site is currently well underway. Once complete, the complex will also house the Wallace Dance Building and Theater, a gift from Monte and Nei Wallace, as well as a tower that will serve as a home for faculty and administrative offices. The tower will also host an art gallery. An important element for all performance spaces will be versatility, so the spaces can be utilized for a variety of different performance types. Holl will also consider environmentally sound building practices, going to great lengths to ensure that the final result is sustainable, comfortable, and enjoyable for art students as well as visitors.
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