Founded in 1886, the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is one of the foremost Jewish institutions in the United States. This project adds over 80,000 square feet of new construction to JTS’s historic 1929 building and transforms it from a cloistered, closed building to an outward facing one, reflecting JTS’s evolving mission.

The design is organized around the building’s existing courtyard which has been reconfigured as an indoor, light filled gathering space that looks onto a central garden and serves as a vibrant hub for students and visitors. This sky-lit central light court invites people to sit, relax, and orient themselves within the larger campus. At 7,000 square feet, the new space is flexible enough to also accommodate larger programs like lectures, religious services, and graduations.

From the light court, visitors can access new classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium, and the new JTS library. The library houses circulating collections, rare Judaica, and state-of-the-art climate-controlled special collections storage for manuscripts, books, and scrolls. The library also affords spaces for both collaborative and individual study.

Five stories of dormitories are located above the academic floors to provide housing for up to 144 students who are dually enrolled at Columbia or Barnard. This residence hall includes apartments for student advisors, communal kitchens, dining areas, lounges, and laundry facilities. A student-run “Moadon”—a space bathed in natural light and connected to the outdoors—functions as a dynamic node to connect the entire campus and offers room for students to meet, host events, stage performances, and hold discussions.