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.

You might also like

J. Max Bond wearing a grey suit and a red tie, holding drafting tools with an image of a building design behind him

How J. Max Bond Jr. Honored Black History Through Architecture

A new book explores the Harvard-trained architect’s vision and impact, from Ground Zero to the Smithsonian.

Several people are holding a large ribbon for a ceremony outside a modern building.

Harvard and City Leaders Celebrate ERC Opening

Phase A of the Allston project includes a hotel, residences, and a two-acre greenway.

Aerial view of modern high-rise buildings surrounded by greenery and city skyline.

Which Harvard Architecture Stands the Test of Time?

In a sea of red brick, the Science Center and Peabody Terrace make their mark.

Most popular

Students holding protest signs advocating for support and safe work conditions.

Harvard Academic Workers Begin Strike

A second union joined graduate students on the picket line, emptying labs and classrooms.

Entrance gate beside a brick wall, with a decorative sign and clear blue sky.

New Names Proposed for Harvard Extension School Degrees

Long pushed for, the changes would be part of a broader rebranding for the Division of Continuing Education.

Remembering Judge Richard A. Posner

Contributing editor Lincoln Caplan’s 2015 feature of the prolific judge

Explore More From Current Issue

Colorful icons representing sleep, fruit, speech, and a mind with a water lily.

Take this quiz on six healthy habits that Harvard doctors recommend

St. Peter's Basilica at sunset, illuminated by purple and orange sky reflections in the river.

Alumni

For advocacy and benevolence, three late alumni are reportedly in line for the Catholic Church’s highest honor.

Delicate green cocoa pods and small white flowers on a tree branch, surrounded by soft greenery.

Research

Harvard researchers investigate climate’s impact on cocoa crops, innovations in nasal vaccines, and links between pain and skull marrow.