The LEED certified Lunder Arts Center is the new heart of the College of Art and Design at Lesley University. Nestled in the Porter Square neighborhood of Cambridge, the center offers state-of-the-art studios and classrooms in a dynamic setting that successfully merges nineteenth-century ecclesial traditions with 21st-century architecture.

The project required the relocation and careful renovation of the historic North Prospect Congregational Church and the design of an adjacent new structure that respects the iconic architecture of the church and reflects the industrial heritage of the city. The result is a terra cotta-clad studio wing informed by the massing, scale, and detail of the church, which was converted to house the art library, offices, and design studios. A new glass-enclosed common area recessed in the entry plaza serves as the main entrance and connects the two buildings, juxtaposing the past and the present and representing the interdisciplinary dialogue between the traditional studio arts and new media. A glass-walled art gallery anchors the new building and extends that dialogue to the street. The gallery and the library are both open to the public.

The connector and new wing emphasize transparency, and the extensive mechanical systems of the building are exposed. Achieving LEED Gold certification, the energy-efficient complex maintains a healthy indoor environment for student artists and is modeled to use 40 percent less energy than a building designed to the current energy code.