Cambridge, MA
Harvard Kennedy School Pavilions
Scope/Solutions
Harvard Kennedy School was looking to reinvent the campus and undertook a major project to add new flexible classrooms and collaboration areas, improve connectivity between the existing buildings, and revive their central courtyard. Three new additions link the existing structures and introduce natural light through the curtain wall facades. SGH provided building enclosure consulting services for the project.
SGH consulted on the building enclosure design for the new additions and the plaza design for the courtyard. Highlights of our work include the following:
- Helped design semi-custom curtain wall with large vertical sunshades, zinc screen walls, and opaque wall systems
- Assisted with system selection and design for the below-grade waterproofing and large green roof/plaza system over the courtyard, which was elevated to add a subterranean space
- Designed expansion joint enclosures, helped develop details to integrate the new enclosure systems with the adjacent existing buildings, and created three-dimensional models to depict the design and sequencing at complex transitions
- Provided construction administration services, including reviewing contractor submittals to compare with design intent; observing the below‑grade waterproofing installation; periodically visiting the site to observe installation of the curtain wall, facade, and roofing systems; conducting field performance testing of the enclosure systems, and helping the contractor address field conditions
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Project Summary
2017
Completion Date
126M
Construction Value
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Building Enclosures
Markets
Education
Client(s)
Harvard Kennedy School | CSL Consulting, LLC
Specialized Capabilities
Facades & Glazing | Roofing & Waterproofing
Key team members
Additional Projects
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Sacred Heart University, Linda E. McMahon Commons
The new Linda E. McMahon commons building at Sacred Heart University offers a central meeting facility for students and faculty. SGH performed structural engineering services for the design and construction and also provided building enclosure and waterproofing design consultation to the architect.
Northeast
Three-dimensionally Printed Glass Testing
In 2017, SGH collaborated with the MIT Media Lab on an exhibit for Milan Design Week. Looking to advance their research with a new geometry, MIT retained SGH to perform additional testing on 3D-printed glass samples in 2024.