Creating two new buildings in Harvard?EUR??,,????'?????<

On the north side of Frisbie Place, a delicate groundcover of English ivy and witch hazel shares space with a row of river birch and red maples. Photo courtesy John Grove, Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Inc.

The landscaping had to reflect that same synthesis of ideas. Frisbie Place was formerly a 34-space parking lot next to the Peabody Museum and the site of many frisbie games?EUR??,,????'?????<

Connectivity a Major Priority

There were initially three major design priorities for this project. First, the formerly disconnected buildings had to be united to complete the quadrangle of the Cabot Science Complex. The key challenge here was to reconcile the contemporary architecture of the new buildings with the traditional architecture and landscaping of their immediate neighbors. At the same time, the landscaping had to provide for ease of access as well as places conducive to interaction. Geometric patches of lawn, groves of tulip poplars and sweet gums, lines of river birch and red bud, long black granite benches and umbrella shaded caf????????(C) tables all create opportunities for casual interaction and relaxation outside the labs.

 

Geo-Jet wall technology was used to place the foundation walls seven feet from surrounding buildings. The concrete structure had to be able to carry the weight of the earth, trees, paving materials, and emergency vehicles as well. Photo courtesy John Grove, Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Inc.

Both courtyards are surrounded by old and new buildings, and are a major node of circulation. They create an intersection of traffic between the scientists and researchers, and the buildings that house them: biology, physics, engineering, chemistry, robotics, genomics, computer science, a Center for Mesoscale Structures and laboratory spaces for everyone. The technical difficulties of trying to shoehorn all this into a tight space meant, inevitably, that a majority of the building space?EUR??,,????'?????<

Extending under Cabot Courtyard and Frisbie Place, the 40,000 sq. ft. of extended basement provides laboratory support, office space and links to neighboring Labs. Extensive structural underpinning of the surrounding buildings was required to avoid undermining their foundations. In the foreground of the inset you can see one of the circular skylights bringing natural light down to the basement level labs. Photo courtesy John Grove, Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Inc.

The exterior glass distinguishes the Naito and Bauer buildings from their more introverted neighbors, however this transparent facade also reflects the trees, sky and historic buildings all around it. This visually blends the traditionally isolated sciences of our grandfathers, and mirrors the transparency of today?EUR??,,????'?????<

Openess and Freedom of Movement

This freedom of movement between the buildings, as well as between those who work and study in them, had to be an integral part of the landscape design. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

(Today)

The key challenge was reconciling a contemporary architectural expression with the more traditional language of the neighboring buildings. The combination of red sandstone panels, brick, grass and a groundcover of English ivy and witch hazel complements the red brick and limestone of the older buildings. Photo courtesy John Grove, Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Inc.

Flattening the area in Cabot Courtyard was necessary because it was a rooftop. That in turn required re-grading the edges. The buildings on the East side, however, were on higher ground. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Part of the complexity of the retaining wall, and the rest of the hardscape was that some of the wall was on rooftop and some was on earth or gravel. This affected the kinds of trees and plants with which they could work. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

(Yesterday)

Before construction, Frisbie Place was a 34-spot parking lot and the site of many Frisbie games?EUR??,,????'?????<

Once the parking spaces in Frisbie Place were removed for the new pedestrian landscape, the site?EUR??,,????'?????<

A Sense of Expansiveness in Tiny Quarters

The landscape design of the Cabot and Frisbie Courtyards really underscores the problem that many campuses are facing these days. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

A large pair of buildings had to be placed on a very small site constrained by the closeness of its neighbors, with the added requirement of a natural landscape that would ease pedestrian traffic between the labs. The requirements of the landscaping, however, conflicted with the high traffic needs of the laboratories and the need to service the facilities.

Complex Technical Issues

The technical issues raised by the underground buildings made the landscaping issues even more complex. The basement extends to all the other buildings, so Cabot and Frisbie are landscaped rooftops. However, because of the height of the water table, the basement level couldn?EUR??,,????'?????<

The implied triangular form at the street level responds to Cabot Courtyard?EUR??,,????'?????<

Photo Courtesy Ellenzweig Associates, Inc.

Just below the finished level of the courtyard an insulated, rubber-membrane waterproofing system uses sloped flutes to carry rainwater off the basement rooftop to storm drains along the perimeter of the new foundation. The basement?EUR??,,????'?????<

Complex Planting Issues

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Frisbie Place connects to Cabot Court with a narrow causeway passing between two buildings. It is a main thoroughfare for the Complex. Like Cabot, Frisbie Place has varying levels of soil depth and variation in the sub base conditions. Cabot Courtyard acts as a passageway and as a node of activity and public reception. On Frisbie Place, the proposed scheme rests more squarely in the tradition of Harvard?EUR??,,????'?????<

Complex Hardscape Issues

Reed Hilderbrand directed the hardscaping, including the choice of benches, stairways, paving, retaining walls, handrails, and skylights. The pathways were the driving force. There were three layers to the design: the main circulation paths through the complex, the paths from building to building, and then the open field of paving for gathering and caf????????(C) space. They also needed to incorporate the three circular structural glass skylights in the courtyard, set flush with the lawn, to bring natural light down to the basement laboratories.

The programming phase included extensive research and discussion of the pedestrian movement envisioned between the buildings, and how to maximize the desire lines into a feasible design of paths and walkways.

Here also, paving issues were raised by the variation of the sub-base conditions ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The benches, stairwells and retaining walls are granite. The smooth black granite benches are also reflective. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

If the goal was to encourage interaction and transparency among scientists, researchers, and the rest of the campus, Cabot Courtyard and Frisbie Place are the embodiment of that expression. An open space has been constructed entirely over the structure, and a balance has been struck between the paved areas and the large planted areas with their canopy and understory trees for shade and seasonal interest. They now form important links?EUR??,,????'?????<

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AWARDS

This project has won three design awards:

1. Boston Society of Architects, Citation for Excellence in Architecture, 2003.
2. Boston Society of Architects/Society College and University Planning, Award for Design Excellence, Higher Education Facilities, 2003.
3. Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts, Build Massachusetts Awards Program, Honor Award, 2003.

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REED HILDERBRAND, INC., Landscape Architecture

Reed Hilderbrand works at the vital intersection of nature and culture. They collaborate with other artists and professionals to help institutions, public stewards, and individuals articulate ideas through landscape. Each project begins with rigorous analysis of the objective and poetic realities of a site and its context, integrating responsible care for the land with the ordinary and extraordinary needs of modern life.