Princeton, N.J.—Construction is under way on a new 153,000-sf campus center at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona, N.J.  The campus center, the largest individual building project in the college’s history, will strive for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The project architect is KSS Architects LLP, based in Princeton, N.J., and the associate architect is VMDO Architects of Charlottesville, Va.

KSS’ partner in charge for the project, Michael Shatken, AIA, said the campus center will help meet the needs of Stockton’s growing enrollment. “The building gives Stockton an iconic cultural and social center right at the heart of campus,” he said.

The campus center, part of Stockton’s 10-year master plan to upgrade facilities and enhance the campus community, will also preserve the college’s tradition of environmental responsibility. The building will run on the campus’ existing geothermal wellfield and have the potential to utilize Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES), the new geothermal heating and cooling system completed in 2007. A digital building management system will monitor and control how the campus center can best operate on alternative energy sources to provide energy-efficient heating, ventilation and lighting conditions. The building’s roof will collect stormwater to irrigate an onsite rain garden of native and adaptive plant species.

The design of the building draws inspiration from Stockton’s picturesque setting in the New Jersey Pinelands. Outstretched trusses, evocative of tree branches, top structural columns inside and outside the building. Large translucent skylights allow natural light to reach even occupants deep inside the building.

Sited at the head of a future campus green, the campus center will greet visitors and prospective students and fulfill the everyday social and service needs of Stockton’s community. A food service market with multiple stations offering a variety of cuisine will anchor one end of the building; at the other end, a coffeehouse will welcome guests. Other features include a large event venue, meeting rooms, a bookstore, lounge spaces and offices.

Donald Moore, executive director of Stockton’s Facilities Planning and Plant Management, said the building will become a landmark for the college. “The campus center will serve as a classy centerpiece to our campus that we did not have before,” he said.

The project broke ground in May and is scheduled for completion in early 2011.

For more information about KSS Architects LLP, visit kssarchitects.com.  

For more information about VMSO Architects, visit vmdo.com.