Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Lesley University: Lunder Arts Center

  • 08/01/15
Lunder Arts Center at Lesley University in Cambridge

PHOTOS © ROBERT BENSON PHOTOGRAPHY

The $46-million, 74,000-square-foot Lunder Arts Center at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, is the heart of the school’s College of Art and Design and an anchor of Cambridge’s Porter Square arts district.

Challenged with creating a multifunctional complex that would facilitate experiential learning and student-faculty collaboration, engage the public and integrate a decommissioned historic church, Bruner/Cott & Associates focused on the creation of inspiring spaces, designing professional grade art studios, making a vibrant connection to the public realm and repurposing a historic New England church already on the site.

The historic church was relocated inward on the block to better relate to the scale of Massachusetts Avenue’s stores and residences. The move allowed the construction of a lower level across the site to reduce density. After restoring the church’s exterior to its c.1910 appearance its interior was reimagined, comprising an accessible two-level art library on the ground floor, several galleries, and a graphic design studio in the original wood attic rafters.

A new four-story studio structure on the church’s former site is clad in terracotta, complementing surrounding buildings. Its prolific glazing actively facilitates art making, housing teaching spaces for ceramics, drawing, painting, book making, printmaking, photography, animation and digital filmmaking.

A three-story Arts Commons connects the church structure to the studio building. It features a light-filled entry court that proffers circulation, event space and administrative offices. Its transparent entrance and gallery add vibrancy to the streetscape, welcoming the public to exhibits, lectures, conferences and symposia. The new complex anticipates LEED Gold certification.

“In addition to providing our students with state of the art studio facilities, the Center enables our university to establish itself as a more visible, prominent member of Cambridge/Boston art world,” says Dr. Stuart Steck, chair of the College of Art and Design’s Department of Art History and Critical Studies.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.