“Basically, the University wanted to build a multipurpose/performing arts center to join its existing amphitheater that is about 70 years old,†said Project Designer Weichi Chen, AIA, of Hillier Architecture in Princeton, NJ. “They wanted to restore and modernize the amphitheater. That was the initial goal. They also wanted it to be acoustically superior.â€
The designer went on to explain that the University had mandated the Mission-style design. “When [the school] was first started in 1908, they built four or five Mission-style buildings,†said Chen. “That became the symbol of the University. When the new president came on board, she wanted to keep that style.â€