Harvard Business School
Tata Hall
Project
Tata Hall
Client
Harvard Business School
Location
Boston, MA
Completion
2014
Size
163,000 GSF
Certification
LEED Platinum Certified
Category
Campus Innovations, Residence Halls
This seven-story glass and stone academic and residential building defines a new precinct for Harvard Business School’s Executive Education programs by creating a new quadrangle and public face to the city. The building is an immersive learning environment with breakout spaces and case study classrooms in addition to the residential component. Tata Hall reflects Dean Nitin Nohria’s belief in a “global century” by projecting a strongly contemporary, welcoming & transparent face for Executive Education at HBS along the Charles River. With integrative sustainable design like High Performance Double-Skin Curtainwall, Tata Hall is LEED Platinum certified.
The building responds beautifully to the river in all directions and defines outdoor space on the river’s edge and the internal campus.
2016 AIA Educational Facility Design Award, Jury Comment
The arc-shaped building contains 179 bedrooms with private baths, two 99-seat tiered classrooms, as well as office space for administrative staff and common spaces to help build community among the nearly 10,000 participants who attend the Executive Education programs each year.
PROCESS
Model builders work on a scaled interior model of lobby, circulation, and auditoriums
Sam Lasky of WRA leads a tour with local high school students
A site model shows how Tata Hall will be integrated into the Harvard campus
A study model helps understand how exterior and interior can be integrated
Sam Lasky of WRA talks to with prospective HBS students about the proposed design
DOUBLE SKIN FACADE SYSTEM
Tata's Hall's Double Skin Curtainwall façade consists of two layers of glass 3'-0" apart. Along with moveable blinds, this barrier helps prevent solar heat gain in summer months and acts as a thermal barrier in winter months.
Summer: Air is drawn into cavity through vents at base and heats up. Warm air rises to top and is exhausted through glass louvers at top. Horizontal Louver Blinds reduce glare and provide shade.
Winter: Cavity air heats up creating a thermal barrier between interior and exterior. Glass louvers at top and vents at bottom remain closed trapping warm air inside cavity. Blinds prevent low-angled sun glare.
Awards + Recognition
2016 National AIA-CAE Education Facility Design Merit Award
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | AKF Group Engineering
Civil Engineer | Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Landscape Architect | Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Inc.
Lighting Consultant | Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design
Photographer | Robert Benson + Bruce Martin, + Anton Grassl