Harvard Divinity School, Swartz Hall

With a mission to educate students of religion for intellectual leadership, professional service, and ministry, Harvard Divinity School is the first nonsectarian theological institution in the United States. Standing at the center of academic and administrative life of the Divinity School, Swartz Hall was constructed in 1911 and is Harvard University’s only Collegiate Gothic structure. As part of this major renovation, the first since the building’s completion, ABA designed an architectural environment reflective of the school’s multi-religious community and the many faith traditions practiced by students, staff, and faculty. In addition to preserving the historical character of an existing chapel, an inclusive multi-faith space and adjacent room for ritual cleansing by Muslims before daily prayers were created from former library stack space on the second floor.

ABA completed extensive preservation work in the historic building, and improvements to mechanical systems and building envelope — including replacement of the original Vermont slate roof — will significantly reduce energy consumption, in alignment with Harvard University’s Sustainability Principles.

ABA’s design replaced a previous addition with a two-story, 13,000-square-foot expansion that includes a dining commons with café and lounge on the first floor. At the center of the commons stands a fireplace built of granite repurposed from the original building, reflecting one of the project’s sustainability goals — diverting. The second floor of the new addition features a 200-seat multipurpose space and new classrooms with fully integrated technology, including projectors, monitors, cameras, touch-panel control systems, microphones, chargers, and assisted-listening systems. With a completely glass facade, the addition dissolves the separation between interior and exterior, allowing in ample daylight and visually opening the multipurpose room to a renewed campus green and views to the century-old building. A new terrace and gas fireplace with a surround of granite quarried in Deer Isle, Maine, functions as a front porch while adding new outdoor gathering space to the campus.

Access was a key element of the renewal project, with a goal of ensuring all visitors to Swartz Hall feel welcome. The new, accessible entrance leads from the green into the new commons, where visitors can enjoy the new café, a double-sided fireplace, and meeting areas. A glazed ramp in the original chapel provides access for visitors of all abilities.

Recognized with a 2021 AN Best of Design Award for Building Renovation, the rejuvenated Swartz Hall creates a new campus gateway and center of academic, social, and spiritual life for HDS, building connections with the Harvard campus and surrounding neighborhood.

Project at a Glance

Location: 45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Original Architect: Allen and Collins
Original Construction: 1911
Project Size: Existing 60,945 GSF; New 12,443 GSF; Total Building: 104,621 GSF
Stories: 6 + occupied basement
Project Features: 60 offices and workstations; 200-seat convening space; 15-seat classroom; 20-seat classroom; 49-seat classroom; two 30-seat classrooms; three conference/seminar rooms; new multifaith space; Williams Chapel renovation; new café and dining commons; new compact shelving for library special collections
283 windows replaced in kind; 112 windows restored
54 trees, shrubs, and ground cover planted
LEED Cl v4 Gold (targeted)

Status: Built
Location: Cambridge, MA, US
Firm Role: Architect
Additional Credits: Philip B. Chen FAIA, Ann M. Beha FAIA, Edward O. Rice AIA, Ji-Hye Ham AIA, Ian Miller AIA, Carl Damas, Mark Pantano, Amit Oza, Kristen Starheim, Sarah Rivard (ABA); Harvard Divinity School (Client); Shawmut Design & Construction (Construction Manager); Structures North Consulting Engineers (Structural Engineer); Altieri (MEP Engineer); Stephen Stimson Associates (Landscape Architect); Haley & Aldrich (Geotechnical); Nitsch Engineering (Civil Engineer); Green International Affiliates, Inc. (Site Survey); Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (Envelope); Code Red Consultants (Code and Accessibility); CHA (Daedalus Projects, Inc.) (Cost Estimator); Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting (Lighting Design); Acentech (Acoustics / AV / IT); Ricca Design Studios (Food Service); Atelier Ten (Sustainability); Syska Hennessy Group (Elevator); Feldman Land Surveyors (Laser Scanning); Kalin Associates (Specifications); Chuck Choi (Photography)

A fireplace lounge and a dining commons with casual and flexible seating opens to the reconfigured terrace and campus green. The new café and lounge offer new areas for the campus community to eat, study, and gather. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Swartz Hall Café. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Swartz Hall Lounge. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

The multipurpose room on the second floor of the new addition accommodates an audience of 200, allowing the school to host large events, conferences, and colloquia that could not be accommodated in the existing building. The daylit space with state-of-the-art, integrated audio-visual technology can be quickly reconfigured for less formal events and gatherings. A movable wall allows the space to be divided into two smaller classrooms. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Swartz Hall, Second-floor Multipurpose Room. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

A sky-lit gallery outside the second-floor multipurpose room leads to the new library entrance and provides breakout space for classes and events. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Now home to students who represent more than 45 faith traditions (and no tradition), Harvard Divinity School desired a building with spaces that connected with their mission and a diverse student body. The old stack wing, containing five levels of book shelving, was removed to create three levels of classrooms, workplace, and a new multifaith space. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Historically significant spaces, including Williams Chapel, which dates to 1911, were restored and modernized with new lighting, AV systems, and full accessibility. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

Faculty Office, Swartz Hall. Image credit: Chuck Choi.

The two-story addition, scaled to the century-old building, creates an accessible and inviting front door and connects the school to a renewed campus green. The terrace, with an outdoor gas fireplace, extends gathering space into the open air. Image credit: Chuck Choi.