University Soccer Stadium Wins Architectural Award

AIA-NJ Honors Anderson Architects for Roberts Stadium at Princeton University

The Roberts Stadium at Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., designed by New York, N.Y.-based Anderson Architects, has won a Merit Award in the "Built" category from the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA-NJ). The award was one of 11 awards announced at AIA-NJ's annual Design Day event held recently at the Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, N.J.

The design awards were presented at an awards dinner at Thomas Edison College in Trenton, N.J. All of the award-winning architects are based in -- or have a connection to -- New Jersey.

"We are delighted to recognize these extraordinary designs," said Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, LEED AP, immediate past president of AIA-NJ. "The range of the award-winning entries -- from the Roberts Stadium in Princeton, New Jersey, to the Al-asmariya University for Islamic Sciences, Zliten Campus in Zliten, Libya -- demonstrates the incredible versatility of our homegrown architectural talent."

The Design Awards program brings public and professional recognition to architectural projects that exhibit design excellence. Architects were invited to submit their work for review by the distinguished Design Awards jury.

"From the start of our relationship with Princeton University and the Department of Athletics in 2002, both [former vice president] MJ Sagan and I felt it was important to address the relationship between the large stadium and the surrounding campus, which has a smaller, human scale," said Ross Anderson, FAIA, president of Anderson Architects.

In 2008, Roberts Stadium, a part of that master plan, finished its inaugural season. The design of the stadium incorporates permanent viewing for 3,000 spectators with state-of-the-art practice and game fields and pavilions. The sports facility includes Myslik Field, a natural turf playing field flanked by grandstands on three sides for optimal spectatorship; and Plummer Field, an artificial turf practice field.

Entry to the stadium occurs at a central plaza formalized by an allee of trees at the core of the complex. The gateway building has been designed to compress the space and welcome the spectator before opening into the wide arena. The second level of the entry pavilion contains the projecting Walsh Press Box, which spans two elevated platforms for filming of events, as well as offering spectators a birds-eye view of the action at VIP events.

Inside the stadium, circulation occurs on a concrete concourse that leads to the permanent aluminum grandstand seating and two additional pavilions. Each pavilion is composed of bookends of ground-face masonry with a floating roof: the Gulick Pavilion, located on the south side, contains a cedar box that houses concession services; while the Lourie-Love Pavilion on the north accommodates the outdoor Doninger Gallery.
The class of '78 home team room, the visitor's room, showers, and athletic facilities are contained in a lower level of the south pavilion and accessed from outside the stadium. Other features include a new, full-size scoreboard and state-of-the-art sports lighting.

In addition to the Merit Award given to Anderson Architects in the "Built" category for the Roberts Stadium at Princeton University, another Merit Award was given to GRO Architects for PREttyFAB in Jersey City, N.J.

Three Honor Awards in the "Built" category were announced. The winners were the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Engineering Department, Design Division, for their ferry terminal at the World Financial Center in New York City and Ikon.5 Architects for the Hockessin Public Library in Hockessin, Del., and for the Kirkwood Public Library in Kirkwood, Del.

The Honor Award winner in the "Unbuilt" category went to RMJM Architects & Planners for the Al-asmariya University for Islamic Sciences, Zliten Campus in Zliten, Libya. Two Merit Awards in the "Unbuilt" category went to HDR CUH2A -- for the Headquarters for Telecommunications Regulatory Authority in Dubai, U.A.E., and for the Georgia Institute of Technology Carbon Neutral Energy Solutions Laboratory in Atlanta, Ga.

In the "Historic Preservation" category, FMG - Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects was the winner of two Merit Awards -- for Princeton University's Whig Hall in Princeton, N.J., and for the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, N.J.

In the "Design/Build" category, the Honor Award went to Midouhas Architecture for the Nissenblatt Residence in Loveladies, N.J.