Pioneering Design, Rooted in Place

Princeton University Meadows Apartments

West Windsor Township, NJ

Natural and Community Connections

Situated at the gateway to Princeton’s new Meadows Campus, this graduate student housing community is both grounded in its pastoral setting and a welcoming extension of main campus. Pivoting wings are arranged to optimize views and minimize impacts on the neighboring state park, while drawing pedestrian flow through paths and portals to the heart of the community.

Porosity and Sense of Place

Balancing the active pedestrian character of the open quad, the three buildings define internal courtyards that provide resident privacy and varied activities—athletics, community gardening and quiet respite—while promoting a sense of place and shared identity. Six pedestrian portals provide connectivity between the residential wings and woodland vistas from the bridges above.

Advancing Performance with Passive House

With a high-performance envelope and building systems, the project is one of the largest Passive House certified projects in the country. Sustainability synergies unite the Meadows Campus development, from rain gardens and green infrastructure to geothermal exchange wells, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration and low-embodied-carbon materials.