Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center (SCC)

Exterior Rendering of the SCCExterior Rendering of the SCC

Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center (SCC)

Type: Major Renovation

Client: Central Administration
Design Architect: Hopkins Architects
Architect of Record: Bruner|Cott & Associates
Contractor: Consigli Construction
Façade Project Size: 155,000 SF
Renovation Project Size: 170,000 SF
Completed: September, 2018

Awards:
2021 BE+ Green Building Awards, Health + Wellness
2019 Boston Society of Architects, Harleston Parker Medal
2019 Boston Society of Architects, Education Facilities Award
2019 Society for College & University Planning, Excellence in Architecture for Building Additions, Renovations, or Adaptive Reuse, Honorable Mention
2019 Cambridge Historical Commission, Preservation Award
2019 Architect’s Journal, AJ100 Retrofit Awards Winner, International Category
2019 Architectural Review, New Into Old Awards, Finalist
2019 Association of General Contractors Massachusetts (AGC MA), Performance Award
2019 CISCA Gold Award of Excellence
2019 Civic Trust Awards, Finalist
2019 ENR New England, Best Higher Education/Research Project
2019 World Architecture Festival, Best Use of Natural Light
2019 World Architecture News, WAN Awards, Adaptive Reuse Finalist

Publications:
Metropolis, For a Time, Josep Lluis Sert’s Brawny Buildings Defined Modern Boston
Retrofit, Harvard University Updates a Brutalist Structure that also Supports the Wider Community
Architectural Record, Richard A. & Susan F. Smith Campus Center, Harvard University by Hopkins Architects
Facades+, Harvard Updates Skin of Brutalist Campus Center for 21st Century
Boston Globe, In Adventurous Building, Harvard Gets a ‘Front Door’ Open to the Public
Building Design + Construction, One Harvard’ initiative injects new life into campus center
Concrete Construction, Restoring a Concrete Façade
Dezeen, Harvard’s brutalist Smith Campus Center receives dramatic makeover by Hopkins
High-Profile, Richard A. & Susan F. Smith Campus Center Opens
NEREJ, Hopkins Architects and Bruner/Cott Complete Smith Campus Center at Harvard University
School Construction News, Harvard Debuts Revamped Campus Center
Spaces4Learning, Harvard University: Richard A. & Susan F. Smith Campus Center
World Architects US, US Building of the Week: Richard A. & Susan F. Smith Campus Cente
World Architecture News, Harvard University Project Enhances Community Spaces
RIBA Journal, Still Brutalist, but Lighter and Brighter
ARCHITECT , Richard A. & Susan F. Smith Campus Center at Harvard University
Architect’s Newspaper, Hopkins Architects moves forward with revamp of Sert’s Holyoke Center at Harvard

The Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center (SCC) is a dynamic center of University life, enabling the greater Harvard community to come together in new and exciting ways. Harvard Capital Projects managed simultaneous renovations of this occupied, historic landmark building in the heart of the square. The Josep Lluís Sert structure is a ten-story, H-shaped concrete building with two stories below-grade and includes retail, administrative offices, Health Services, and public parking. All programs have remained fully functional during the interior and exterior construction. This major renovation of the first, second, and tenth floors, as well as the façade restoration, started in the fall of 2015. Construction has proceeded rapidly to provide outdoor terraces and light-filled interior spaces for relaxation, studying, informal gathering, and exciting new food venues. The project will also facilitate programs and events open to students, faculty, staff, and the public. A completely renovated façade is the backdrop for newly designed outdoor plazas with café seating, chess tables, new lighting, and new trees.

The SCC renovation achieved LEED v4 and was also the pilot project under the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy, a unique living laboratory partnership between Harvard’s Office for Sustainability and faculty researchers at the Harvard Center for Health and the Global Environment focused on collaborating with the University’s project management community to identify and source healthier building materials and products that are manufactured without certain harmful chemical classes of concern.