Harvard Undergraduate House Renewal, Winthrop House

Cambridge, USA

Photo © Peter Vanderwarker

Photo © Robert Umenhofer

Photo © Peter Vanderwarker

Photo © Robert Umenhofer and Peter Vanderwarker

Photo © Peter Vanderwarker

Photo © Robert Umenhofer

Photo © Peter Vanderwarker

Architects: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects

Location: 02138 Cambridge, USA
Year: 2017
Client: Harvard House Renewal Project Management Office
Team: Elizabeth R. Leber (Managing Partner/Partner-in-Charge), Margaret Kittinger (Partner), Aaron Lamport (Principal), Stephen McHale (Principal), Michael Wetstone (Principal), Kimberly Cornell (Senior Associate), Dennis Dambreville (Senior Associate), Elizabeth Kim (Senior Associate), Lars Moestue (Senior Associate/Environmental Graphics), Nathaniel Rogers (Senior Associate), Monica Siebenmorgen (Senior Associate), Susan Bopp (Associate), Michael Doiron (Senior Associate), Emma Leonard (Associate), Michael Elizabeth Rozas (Associate)
Construction Manager: Consigli Construction Co., Inc.
Structural Engineer: CVM
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing: Bard, Rao + Athanas Consulting Engineers
Landscape Architecture: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
Civil Engineering: VHB | Vanasse Hangen Brustlin
Lighting: SBLD Studio
Acoustics: Shen Milsom & Wilke LLC
Audio/Visual: AV Helpdesk Inc.
Vertical Transportation: Van Deusen Associates
Construction Manager: Lee Kennedy Co Inc
Code/Life Safety: Jensen Hughes
Sustainability: Atelier Ten
Food Service: The Hysen Group

BBB’s design for Winthrop House, one of Harvard’s historic River Houses, combines a complete re-visioning of its residential, academic, and public spaces with comprehensive envelope and system upgrades as well as a 41-bed addition.

Winthrop House, comprised of two Neo-Georgian former freshman dormitory buildings from 1913, had undergone few upgrades since its construction. The renewal program re-envisioned Winthrop’s residential, academic, social, and co-curricular spaces and addresses technical challenges, including significant envelope upgrades, the installation of all-new mechanical systems, and detailed restoration work for the House’s signature public spaces. Amidst the sensitive context of Harvard’s River Houses, BBB also designed Robert M. Beren Hall, a distinctive 41-bed addition that includes shared amenities for undergraduates. Working with the House Renewal Project Management Office, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, the Faculty Deans, and students, BBB both re-conceived the traditional public spaces and created new amenities to provide flexibility and variety of use. The original Dining Hall, which is partially below grade, has been expanded to increase dining capacity as well as enlarge the courtyard terrace atop the new extension. New common rooms and student life spaces, such as a student-run café and a rooftop common room with dramatic views of the Charles River and the Harvard campus, support the Winthrop House community spirit. The project was estimated for 14 months in construction for the historic buildings and 20 months for the addition, but BBB’s work with the Construction Manager and Client enabled the team to complete the full project in 14 months and all buildings to open at the same time for the start of the Fall semester.