On Aug. 24, 199 third-, fourth- and fifth-year architecture students walked from Sage Chapel and entered Milstein Hall for the first time to claim their desks in studio classes. The new building, designed by Rem Koolhaas and the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, is nearly complete, with an auditorium/lecture hall still under construction and set to open in October.

"It's great seeing the students take possession of the building," said College of Architecture, Art and Planning Dean Kent Kleinman.

Students and faculty are working together in 16 studios on Milstein Hall's second floor, a furnished, open space with floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding campus. First- and second-year architects have also begun classes in Rand Hall, which adjoins Milstein.

"It's beautiful -- absolutely gorgeous," said Ben Waters '15 as he strolled through the new building. "I can't believe it's ours. We got the facilities that reflect the caliber of the program."

Architecture chair Mark Cruvellier said that Milstein will bring the college and the university together for events. "It will be functional as well as instructional," he said. "It puts on public display what we do here."