Connecting Newark’s historic past with a vibrant future

Rutgers’ newest academic building, and the first such building to be constructed on the College Avenue campus since 1961, opened for classes and lectures on Tuesday, September 6, 2016.

The Building

This state-of-the-art, classically designed, 200,000 square foot academic facility features modern lecture halls, large and small classrooms, informal learning spaces, and faculty offices and conference spaces. Located in the heart of Rutgers’ main College Avenue campus, the brick and limestone building provides a distinctive silhouette at the north end of Voorhees Mall. With a seating capacity of 2,500, this facility sees 20,000 students passing through its halls each day.

The Technology

The technology-rich environment of the RAB introduces tomorrow’s teaching classrooms to Rutgers, and includes Active Learning Classrooms, tech labs with high-end printers, teaching walls, turnable lecture hall seating, white wall dividers, and other advanced components for modern,  interactive teaching and learning opportunities.

The Landscape
The surrounding exterior of the new academic building maximizes open space and provides public areas for students, residents, faculty, and visitors alike. The stepped pedestrian passage between the two wings of the building connects the Voorhees Mall at Seminary Place to the northern end of the New Brunswick campus. Outdoor ‘rooms’ for learning, socializing, and collaboration were created throughout the passage with interspersed bands of granite seat walls, plantings and lawn, with semi-mature trees providing plenty of shade. Terraces at the north end of the new buildings offer additional outdoor space, as well as a large gathering space for events, festivals, and passive recreation. Quiet, shady spaces with benches and gardens are arranged around the “Rutgers Oval,” a subtly tilted landform that creates multifunctional use space within a sloping site.

Watch construction of the RAB from start to finish in this time-lapse video, here.