The Mathematics Building and Lecture Hall is a two-building complex at the Institute for Advanced Study, a private institution dedicated to scholarly work in mathematics, physics, natural and social sciences.
The Mathematics Building provides office space for members and permanent faculty, as well as computer and secretarial support offices. Individual offices are designed according to sophisticated acoustical requirements to provide faculty with a private enclave in which to think and work. The offices are arranged to afford commanding views of either the new courtyard or the pond around which the rest of the Institute campus is planned.
The 220-seat Wolfensohn Concert and Lecture Hall is finished with exposed wood trusses and wood paneling. Also included is a 70-seat classroom, a faculty seminar room and a common room. The common room is designed to be comfortable and conducive to study and thought, with access to an outdoor terrace for informal meetings and discussions.
The design of the complex is gentle and relates to both the small older buildings of the central campus and the newer, larger scale buildings on the periphery. The complex is sited to create a courtyard that connects its buildings to the rest of the campus and provides a quadrangle for the Mathematics School. The courtyard includes a copper-clad fountain wall, benches and a sculptural blackboard that faculty and visitors can use during discussions.