- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 6,963
- Reaction score
- 1,585
Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex | Cambridge
- Thread starter czsz
- Start date
BostonUrbEx
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2010
- Messages
- 4,340
- Reaction score
- 127
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I like those corner windows. Nifty.
I like those corner windows. Nifty.
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
The sidewalk area seems pretty wide. It's hard to tell with the fence still up but there is some decent space there. I wish they had improved the interaction with the street - placing an entrance more towards the center than at the corners perhaps.
The sidewalk area seems pretty wide. It's hard to tell with the fence still up but there is some decent space there. I wish they had improved the interaction with the street - placing an entrance more towards the center than at the corners perhaps.
Lurker
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Messages
- 2,362
- Reaction score
- 0
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I like it. Though it would have been stunning with violet or amber tinted glazing to contrast with the stone. Right now it reads as a very formidable building, accent coloring in the glazing would have helped soften the severity of the stone. Perhaps the landscaping and views to the interior will help.
I like it. Though it would have been stunning with violet or amber tinted glazing to contrast with the stone. Right now it reads as a very formidable building, accent coloring in the glazing would have helped soften the severity of the stone. Perhaps the landscaping and views to the interior will help.
Suffolk 83
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 2,922
- Reaction score
- 2,188
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
^A cornice would help alot. Seems like they used some expensive materials to make a ugly building
^A cornice would help alot. Seems like they used some expensive materials to make a ugly building
found5dollar
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2007
- Messages
- 1,146
- Reaction score
- 400
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
this building reminds me of a Sumo wrestler. Short, fat, and appears to be about to lurch towards the street, and take out anything in its path.
this building reminds me of a Sumo wrestler. Short, fat, and appears to be about to lurch towards the street, and take out anything in its path.
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I'm a Harvard Law School employee and took an interior tour of the building today (Monday, March 21). I think the inside will ultimately be more impressive than the exterior.
Being a law school, there was a list of rules prior to the tour (clothing requirements, vests, helmets, liability waivers, rules not to speak to construction workers...and no photography). Otherwise, I'd have provided photos.
Work on floors 4 and 5 is probably 95% complete. The spaces are quite nice, spacious, with lots of millwork for interior windows and doors (similar to the interior of Harvard's Hauser Hall...if you've ever been). One fifth floor lounge area has some pretty spectacular views of the Boston skyline (even though the windows on the top two floors are noticeably smaller than on the lower floors).
These top two floors are entirely office space for various clinical/research programs and organizations (no class rooms).
The 3rd floor is probably 75% done, and the 1st and 2nd floors barely have any interior walls up yet. There are some pretty spectacular spaces - with entire walls of windows providing great light, even on a gloomy day like today. These lower levels (plus a basement level) will include student journal offices, employee showers (people biking to work, etc...) student organizations, and lots of VERY nice classroom and seminar spaces.
Common areas on lower levels have massive stone door frames and columns, matching the entry arches you see from the street. There are two-story walls of glass with balconies overlooking the level below.
The The U-shaped building has a large roof deck above the first floor that will have tables, trees, grass, and a barbecue area (replacing the portable ones currently used during the summer). Adjacent to the roof deck will be the new function rooms (replacing the portion of nearby Pound Hall that may be demolished, more on that below). It appears to be less square footage, but much nicer.
The first floor will have classrooms, loading docks, and a relocated Harvard Law Coop.
I forget where exactly, but either on the 1st or 2nd floor adjacent to Harkness Commons (the existing cafeteria building that will now be connected) they spoke about a having a pub.
As part of this project, the kitchen/serving area of Harkness Commons is going to be completely gutted and rebuilt (including a new roof). The dining areas will be untouched.
It's still not decided whether to demolish the function room wing of Pound Hall as part of this project. There's enough of an uproar among staff that the space is still going to be needed (there is no comparably large space in the new building). If this gets demolished, landscapers will attempt to create a quad for the law school.
The tour guide said they think they're still on schedule but acknowledge that they've got a lot of work ahead of them on the first 3 floors. The original schedule is to finish by the end of July (they want to hold classes there in the fall). But it sounds like the 4th and 5th floor offices (ironically, the parts of the building that are nearly complete) aren't going to be occupied for another 8 months from now.
I'm a Harvard Law School employee and took an interior tour of the building today (Monday, March 21). I think the inside will ultimately be more impressive than the exterior.
Being a law school, there was a list of rules prior to the tour (clothing requirements, vests, helmets, liability waivers, rules not to speak to construction workers...and no photography). Otherwise, I'd have provided photos.
Work on floors 4 and 5 is probably 95% complete. The spaces are quite nice, spacious, with lots of millwork for interior windows and doors (similar to the interior of Harvard's Hauser Hall...if you've ever been). One fifth floor lounge area has some pretty spectacular views of the Boston skyline (even though the windows on the top two floors are noticeably smaller than on the lower floors).
These top two floors are entirely office space for various clinical/research programs and organizations (no class rooms).
The 3rd floor is probably 75% done, and the 1st and 2nd floors barely have any interior walls up yet. There are some pretty spectacular spaces - with entire walls of windows providing great light, even on a gloomy day like today. These lower levels (plus a basement level) will include student journal offices, employee showers (people biking to work, etc...) student organizations, and lots of VERY nice classroom and seminar spaces.
Common areas on lower levels have massive stone door frames and columns, matching the entry arches you see from the street. There are two-story walls of glass with balconies overlooking the level below.
The The U-shaped building has a large roof deck above the first floor that will have tables, trees, grass, and a barbecue area (replacing the portable ones currently used during the summer). Adjacent to the roof deck will be the new function rooms (replacing the portion of nearby Pound Hall that may be demolished, more on that below). It appears to be less square footage, but much nicer.
The first floor will have classrooms, loading docks, and a relocated Harvard Law Coop.
I forget where exactly, but either on the 1st or 2nd floor adjacent to Harkness Commons (the existing cafeteria building that will now be connected) they spoke about a having a pub.
As part of this project, the kitchen/serving area of Harkness Commons is going to be completely gutted and rebuilt (including a new roof). The dining areas will be untouched.
It's still not decided whether to demolish the function room wing of Pound Hall as part of this project. There's enough of an uproar among staff that the space is still going to be needed (there is no comparably large space in the new building). If this gets demolished, landscapers will attempt to create a quad for the law school.
The tour guide said they think they're still on schedule but acknowledge that they've got a lot of work ahead of them on the first 3 floors. The original schedule is to finish by the end of July (they want to hold classes there in the fall). But it sounds like the 4th and 5th floor offices (ironically, the parts of the building that are nearly complete) aren't going to be occupied for another 8 months from now.
kennedy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2007
- Messages
- 2,820
- Reaction score
- 7
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I'll stick with my original assessment, and what everyone seems to agree upon. Solid massing and materials, poor detailing and street-level interaction. I actually don't mind the fusion the of the glass box on top with the Romaneque arches down below. Definitely a shame there aren't any cornices, but to stick with the Medieval theme, some Harvard Crimson banners, greenery, and lighting, and people will help liven up this building from the street. I'd put it in the W column for recent development.
I'll stick with my original assessment, and what everyone seems to agree upon. Solid massing and materials, poor detailing and street-level interaction. I actually don't mind the fusion the of the glass box on top with the Romaneque arches down below. Definitely a shame there aren't any cornices, but to stick with the Medieval theme, some Harvard Crimson banners, greenery, and lighting, and people will help liven up this building from the street. I'd put it in the W column for recent development.
Digital_Islandboy
Active Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2010
- Messages
- 371
- Reaction score
- 3
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I take classes at Harvard so I slowly watched this building go up over the last 2-3 years. The further along it went, the less I liked it. It reminds me of an overly simplified version of the buildings at Boston University....
Building #1
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h...42.350138,-71.10691&spn=0.000608,0.00142&z=20
Building #2
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h...2.350102,-71.106565&spn=0.000608,0.00142&z=20
Or a cheaper version of the Gothic style buildings at Boston College.
The arches (where the corner entrances are) seemed like they are mimicking the Moakley Federal Courthouse. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Like on the corner of the Moakley building they have those same large arches.
Streetview of Moakley courthouse:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=...d=CTrjoxIhoU0UAI_WffYSEQ&cbp=12,56.07,,0,2.71
~D.I.
I take classes at Harvard so I slowly watched this building go up over the last 2-3 years. The further along it went, the less I liked it. It reminds me of an overly simplified version of the buildings at Boston University....
Building #1
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h...42.350138,-71.10691&spn=0.000608,0.00142&z=20
Building #2
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h...2.350102,-71.106565&spn=0.000608,0.00142&z=20
Or a cheaper version of the Gothic style buildings at Boston College.
The arches (where the corner entrances are) seemed like they are mimicking the Moakley Federal Courthouse. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Like on the corner of the Moakley building they have those same large arches.
Streetview of Moakley courthouse:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=...d=CTrjoxIhoU0UAI_WffYSEQ&cbp=12,56.07,,0,2.71
~D.I.
Last edited:
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
Interesting observation. It does bear slight resemblance to BU's College of Arts and Sciences. At about the same height, the vertical elements in BU's neo-gothic facade make the building appear much taller, reaching upward, whereas the Harvard building is fat and squeezed in. The window treatments seem to be what makes the difference here, not the lack of a cornice.
Interesting observation. It does bear slight resemblance to BU's College of Arts and Sciences. At about the same height, the vertical elements in BU's neo-gothic facade make the building appear much taller, reaching upward, whereas the Harvard building is fat and squeezed in. The window treatments seem to be what makes the difference here, not the lack of a cornice.
F-Line to Dudley
Senior Member
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2010
- Messages
- 8,873
- Reaction score
- 7,583
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
It looks like they were a little over-inspired by Lesley U's current digs at the Porter Exchange Mall. I think the new building will grow on folks, but it's definitely a little jarring on that stretch of one-story Mass Ave. storefronts.
It looks like they were a little over-inspired by Lesley U's current digs at the Porter Exchange Mall. I think the new building will grow on folks, but it's definitely a little jarring on that stretch of one-story Mass Ave. storefronts.
briv
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 25, 2006
- Messages
- 2,083
- Reaction score
- 3
Re: Harvard Law School - Northwest Corner complex
I think they're more of a Postmodernist riff on Richardson--and by Postmodernist I mean the Venturi, smug and cynical, the-joke-is-on-you old-school brand of Postmodernism.
I think they're more of a Postmodernist riff on Richardson--and by Postmodernist I mean the Venturi, smug and cynical, the-joke-is-on-you old-school brand of Postmodernism.