Architecture & Design | October 20, 2015

Josep Lluís Sert's International Style icon is updated

Josep Lluís Sert’s International Style icon gets a half-century exterior toning and face lift.

From The November-December 2015 Issue

Photograph of Smith Campus Center exterior renovation

Photograph by Stu Rosner

As planning proceeds for the conversion of the former Holyoke Center into the Smith Campus Center, Josep Lluís Sert’s International Style icon, built from 1962 to 1967, gets its half-century exterior toning and face lift—a formidable challenge in the tight confines of Harvard Square. Stage One is the staging itself: here, the Dunster Street scaffolding in the first week of autumn.

Published in the November-December 2015 print issue under the headline “Under Wraps,” in the John Harvard's Journal section.

Related topics

University News

Architecture & Design

You might also like

Map showing urban layout with roads, green spaces, and waterways.

Boston Board Approves Harvard’s Enterprise Research Campus Framework

City planners adopt principles to guide future development of the commercial innovation district in Allston.

A graphic depiction of a stone wall, reimagining the stone wall set in Harvard Square near Winthrop Street

One of Harvard’s Oldest Structures Is Hiding Behind a Beer Garden

A crumbling wall in Harvard Square holds centuries of the city’s story, if you know how to read it.

Cozy nook with a patterned rug and various colorful pillows against wooden walls.

At Harvard’s Beck-Warren House, Ghosts Speak Many Languages

The quirky 1833 home now hosts Celtic scholars.

Most popular

Harvard University tower with a red and gold dome against a blue sky.

Harvard Discloses Top Earners’ Compensation

The University files its annual report for tax-exempt organizations.

Blue-tinted illustration of a man holding his head and his smartphone above water.

Social Media Use and Adult Depression

A survey reveals suprising links between social media use and depression in adults.

Illustration of diverse healthcare professionals around a central medical cross symbol.

AI Outperforms Doctors in Emergency Room Tasks, New Harvard Study Shows

Researchers say the technology could help physicians with triage, diagnosis.

Explore More From Current Issue

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.

Woman in historical dress standing in front of green foliage, smiling brightly.

Alumni Profiles

This Harvard Graduate Brings Women of the Revolution to Life

Historical reenactor Lauren Shear reveals tricks of the trade for playing Tory loyalists, Revolutionary poets, and more.

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

Harvard Celebrates America’s 250th

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.