By this time next year, the new Babson Commons at Horn Library—light, bright, airy, and inviting—will be the place on campus to connect, collaborate, and caffeinate. Extending across the plaza directly in front of the library, the 10,000-square-foot Babson Commons structure at the heart of campus will house three state-of-the-art classrooms, Babson’s academic and extracurricular resource centers, and additional staff and faculty offices. A four season garden and cafe will provide gathering spaces that encourage formal and informal collaborations. The contemporary, sophisticated space was designed by Finegold Alexander Architects in Boston. It was largely supported through the generosity of Robert Weissman ’64, H’94, P’87, ’90, and his wife, Jan Weissman, P’87, ’90, with additional support from Stephen Cutler, MBA’61.
The Commons also will be home to the new and expanded Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance, raising the profile of finance at Babson and allowing the Finance Division to expand its curriculum and signature learning experiences.
Babson Commons at Horn Library is one of several large capital projects underway in celebration of the College’s Centennial. At a groundbreaking ceremony for the Commons in May, President Kerry Healey said, “As we approach our Centennial, Babson is transforming our campus for the next 100 years. This project will expand opportunities for academic, cocurricular, and social interactions and create a central gathering place where our entire community can collaborate and connect.”
Illustration: Dongik Lee
Throughout the summer months and into the fall, heavy construction machinery first demolished the old brick patio in front of the library’s main entrance, then began excavating the new structure’s foundation. Meanwhile, unflappable students accessed the building through the computer center or Gerber Hall. The disruptions will undoubtedly prove worthwhile in the end, when the new Commons opens in May 2019. —Jane Dornbusch