Rutgers Business School's new building ranked among 50 most beautiful B-schools in the world

Rutgers Business School’s new building on the Livingston Campus ranks among the 50 most beautiful business schools in the world, according to online publication Top Management Degrees.

The $85 million building, which opened in September, was ranked No. 19 behind such distinctive architecture as Oxford University’s Saïd Business School (No. 17) and the elegant Ashridge Business School, which dates back to 1814 in Hertfordshire, England (No.9).

La Sierra University’s new Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business topped the publication’s list.

Designed by Enrique Norten of Ten Arquitectos, Rutgers Business School was favored over University of California’s Hass School of Business (No. 24), University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business (No. 39) and MIT’s Sloan School of Management, which Top Management Degrees ranked No. 42.

With its sweeping stairway, elevated walkway and 60-foot atrium, the Rutgers Business School building has the look of a corporate headquarters. The appearance is only part of the building’s impressive design though. It is powered by two solar fields and the interior temperature is controlled by a nearby geothermal field, making it one of the latest examples of the university’s commitment to renewable energy.

In addition, the six-story building is equipped with nearly $4 million worth of technology, most of it wired into the classrooms.

Norten, the architect, said he was honored by the recognition and described it as a credit to the vision of Rutgers University.

“I am very pleased,” Norten said, “to see the school being recognized for being a forward-looking institution that has embraced the paradigms of campus urbanism, inter-departmental collaboration, ecological sustainability and state-of-the-art technology.”