Lowell House, Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Noteworthy: Restoration of tower balustrades which had hidden steel infrastructure
Historic Designation: Part of the Harvard Houses National Historic District
M&A’s Scope: Bell tower restoration included balustrades, columns, capitals and replication of carved finials, plus painting the dome and gilding the weathervane
Architect: Donham and Sweeney
Owner: Harvard University
“Lowell is the largest and perhaps the handsomest of the River Houses erected on a knoll where the settlers planned to build their fort.”
-Architectural Historian Margaret Henderson Floyd
The award-winning structure was built by local architectural firm Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbot as one of the first two Houses established by Harvard in the 1930s. Built with funding from Edward Stephen Harkness as one of seven student halls along the Charles River at Harvard Lowell House houses upperclassmen in a community setting that fosters intellectual and practical growth.
The Lowell House dormitory was in use for summer school activity during the restoration of the 165 foot tower. In a tight three months, Muckle accomplished:
- the disassembly, removal, shop conservation, painting and reinstallation of three levels of wood balustrades with steel infrastructure
- Re-siding of tower façade
- Conservation repairs to columns and capitals
- Flashing and roofing
- Re-guilding of the decorative weathervane
- Complete on-site stripping and repainting of the tower
- Structural stabilization of the bell level
