{"id":328,"date":"2024-11-21T12:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T13:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/?p=328"},"modified":"2025-01-08T17:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T17:36:19","slug":"bruner-cott-architects-completes-first-phase-of-renovation-on-harvard-universitys-renowned-gund-hall-graduate-school-of-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/2024\/11\/21\/bruner-cott-architects-completes-first-phase-of-renovation-on-harvard-universitys-renowned-gund-hall-graduate-school-of-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruner\/Cott Architects Completes First Phase of Renovation on Harvard University\u2019s Renowned Gund Hall (Graduate School of Design)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The trays in Gund Hall. Photo: Noritaka Minami.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announces the completion of the first phase of an ambitious plan to make George Gund Hall more sustainable and accessible.<\/p>\n

Designed by John Andrews (MArch \u201958) and opened in 1972, the building is emblematic of mid twentieth-century modernism. Much of the completed work updates the structure\u2019s iconic studio block, known as the trays.<\/p>\n

CAMBRIDGE, MA \u2014 The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announces the completion of the first phase of an ambitious project to enhance the facility\u2019s energy performance, sustainability, and accessibility while conserving its original design. Led by Bruner\/Cott Architects, this project has transformed Gund Hall into a paradigm for the rehabilitation and stewardship of mid-twentieth-century architecture.<\/p>\n

Designed by Australian architect and GSD alumnus John Andrews (MArch \u201958), Gund Hall opened in 1972 to house Harvard\u2019s GSD. Since that time, the building\u2019s glass-enclosed five-story studio block, known as the trays, has served as the GSD\u2019s physical and metaphorical center\u2014where students work, interact, and exchange ideas.<\/p>\n

Sarah M. Whiting, Dean and Josep Llu\u00eds Sert Professor of Architecture said: \u201cWhen John Andrews was originally tasked to design a new facility for the Departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning and Design, he surprised his clients with a unique building that was at once solid and transparent and prioritized the student body, united within an enormous, light filled, single space. Though much has changed since Gund Hall first opened in 1972, the careful rehabilitation of the structure underscores the school\u2019s commitment to this same priority: our students.\u201d<\/p>\n

A primary achievement of the ambitious renovation, which followed a tight construction schedule initiated immediately after commencement in late May of this year, involves the replacement of the glass encasing the trays. In total, this amounts to 1,617 glazing units equaling a glazed area of 15,475 square feet. The east curtain wall and clerestory windows employ triple-pane glass, while a custom hybrid vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) composite contributes an additional layer of insulation to the north and south curtain walls. By leveraging the insulating properties of the internal vacuum and marrying it to an additional layer of conventional insulating glass in a sandwich that is overall only a few millimeters thicker than conventional double glazing, the hybrid VIG offers unprecedented thermal resistance. These hybrid units can deliver energy performance that is two to four times better than standard insulating glass and up to ten times more efficient than single-pane glass. While this technology has developed a strong track record in Europe, the Gund Hall renovation is among the first projects in the United States to employ hybrid VIG on a grand scale.<\/p>\n

The renovation of Gund Hall exceeds Massachusetts\u2019s stretch energy code for alterations, rendering the building a step above the base code in terms of energy efficiency. Calculations project that, moving forward, the renovated building will save approximately 18,000kg of CO2 emissions per year, resulting in a nine-year carbon payback for the project. Furthermore, Gund Hall will see a 22.2 percent reduction in energy use intensity and a 19.1 percent reduction in utility costs.<\/p>\n

Through choice of glass and special coatings, the reglazing project markedly enhances the balance, distribution, and quality of light within the studio, which is augmented by improvements such as the installation of motorized window shades to help mitigate glare and heat gain from direct and reflected sun, and upgraded under-tray lighting for greater illumination. Widened exits to the terraces make these outdoor spaces wheelchair accessible for the first time in Gund Hall\u2019s history. In addition, the construction team repaired areas of deteriorating concrete on the building\u2019s exterior.<\/p>\n

Of equal significance to these outcomes are the improvements in user friendliness that stem from the renovation. Not only will everyone be able to frequent the trays\u2019 outdoor terraces, but \u201cfor the first time in over 50 years, the trays will be warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and we won\u2019t have rain leaking onto our desks,\u201d said Whiting, acknowledging the longstanding challenges of the original structure. Alongside the upgrades to the building\u2019s efficiency and sustainability, these qualitative enhancements position Gund Hall as a model for the conservation and revitalization of mid-twentieth-century modern architecture.<\/p>\n

David Fixler, lecturer in architecture at the GSD, is chair of the Building Committee, which consists of faculty representing the school\u2019s three core disciplines and oversees the renovation project. According to Fixler, \u201cthe idea to upgrade the trays\u2019 glazing had been in and out of the GSD\u2019s eye for the better part of two decades. The past five years saw the envelope project revived with a strong emphasis on comfort, energy efficiency, and larger sustainability goals to prove that a building like Gund Hall,\u201d which predates contemporary energy-conservation concerns, \u201ccan be made a more environmentally friendly place.\u201d This was a complicated proposition, however, as the renovation\u2019s mandate was to improve Gund Hall\u2019s energy efficiency while acknowledging the stewardship value in conserving Andrews\u2019s original design. Furthermore, as Fixler noted, \u201cHarvard is a place known for innovation and great design, and we wanted to reflect that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

To develop a realistic scope for the summer renovation\u2014itself the first phase of a multi-year renovation project\u2014the Building Committee worked closely with Boston-based Bruner\/Cott Architects, specialists in historic preservation. Project architect George Gard, associate at Bruner\/Cott and GSD alumnus (MAUD \u201914), said: “Our focus as architects rested on two main pillars: conserving Gund Hall, and making its facade world-leading in performance. Harnessing the technology to create a first-rate facade was the easy part; the hard part was understanding the building\u2019s conservation value and marrying the technology to it\u201d while meeting strict dimensional parameters for the glazing members. Jason Jewhurst, Bruner\/Cott principal-in-charge, offered an illustrative example, citing the design team\u2019s decision to keep the 50-year-old facade support steel within the studio\u2019s original glazing system. This move aligned with the building\u2019s preservation goals and helped minimize carbon emissions, yet it also underscored a challenge applicable to much of the Gund Hall renovation: \u201chow do we work with the existing fabric and elevate it with new technology?\u201d asked Jewhurst. As Fixler observed, in the planning and design stages as well as in the field, \u201cthis project involved a lot of artistry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Project Team:
\nBruner\/Cott Architects – Design and Executive Architect (Prime Consultant)
\no Jason Jewhurst, FAIA (Principal-in-Charge)
\no George H. Gard, AIA, Associate (Project Architect)
\no Henry Moss, AIA, LEED AP (Consulting Principal for Preservation & Design)
\no Mridula Swaminathan, Assoc. AIA (Project Designer)
\n\u2022 SGH \u2013 Building Envelope Consultant, Structural Engineer
\n\u2022 Redgate \u2013 Owners Project Manager
\n\u2022 LAM Partners \u2013 Daylighting Consultant
\n\u2022 Vanderweil Engineers \u2013 Sustainability, Electrical Engineer, Mechanical Engineer
\n\u2022 Kalin \u2013 Specifications
\n\u2022 Jensen Hughes \u2013 Building and Accessibility Code
\n\u2022 Heintges \u2013 BECx
\n\u2022 Shawmut Design and Construction \u2013 Construction Manager
\n\u2022 A&A Window Products \u2013 Glazier (Key Sub-Contractor)
\n\u2022 Oldcastle Building Envelope (OBE 360) \u2013 Curtain Wall and IGU Fabricator (Key Supplier)
\n\u2022 Vitro \u2013 VIG, Glass Substrate, and Glass Coating Supplier (Key Supplier)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GSD Building Committee Faculty Members:
\n\u2022 David Fixler, Lecturer in Architecture and chair of the Building Committee
\n\u2022 Anita Berrizbeitia, Professor of Landscape Architecture
\n\u2022 Gary Hilderbrand, Peter Louis Hornbeck Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture
\n\u2022 Grace La, Professor of Architecture and chair of the Department of Architecture
\n\u2022 Mark Lee, Professor in Practice of Architecture
\n\u2022 Rahul Mehrotra, Professor of Urban Design and Planning and the John T. Dunlop Professor in
\nHousing and Urbanization
\n\u2022 Farshid Moussavi, Professor in Practice of Architecture
\n\u2022 Holly Samuelson, Associate Professor of Architecture
\n\u2022 Ron Witte, Professor in Residence of Architecture<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GSD Alumni Involvement:
\n\u2022 George H. Gard, AIA, Associate, Bruner\/Cott Architects, MAUD \u201914
\n\u2022 Henry Moss, AIA, Consulting Principal, Bruner\/Cott Architects, MArch \u201970
\n\u2022 LeeAnn Suen, AIA, Architect, Bruner\/Cott Architects (Former), MArch \u201917
\n\u2022 Whitney Hansley, AIA, Assistant Project Manager, Redgate (Former), MArch \u201916
\n\u2022 Dan Weismann, AIA, IALD, IES, Associate Principal, LAM Partners, MDes \u201912
\n\u2022 Royce Perez, Associate, Heintges (Former), MArch \u201917
\n\u2022 Holly Samuelson, AIA, LEED AP, GSD Building Committee Member, DDes
\n\u2022 Farshid Moussavi, ARB, RIBA, RA, GSD Building Committee Member, MArch II \u201991
\n\u2022 Gary Hilderbrand, FASLA, FAAR, GSD Building Committee Member, MLA \u201985
\n\u2022 Mark Wai Tak Lee, AIA, GSD Building Committee Member (Former), MArch \u201995
\n\u2022 Grace La, AIA, GSD Building Committee Member, MArch \u201995
\n\u2022 Rahul Mehrotra, GSD Building Committee Member, MAUD \u201987<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The post Bruner\/Cott Architects Completes First Phase of Renovation on Harvard University\u2019s Renowned Gund Hall (Graduate School of Design)<\/a> first appeared on Informed Infrastructure<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The trays in Gund Hall. Photo: Noritaka Minami.   The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announces the completion of the first phase of an ambitious plan to make George Gund Hall more sustainable and accessible. Designed by John Andrews… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":329,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328\/revisions\/329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/durkins.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}