Davenport College

Designed by James Gamble Rogers and built in the 1930s, Pierson and Davenport Colleges at Yale are two of Yale University’s fourteen residential colleges. The pair of buildings share common walls at their entry lobbies, but when Kieran Timberlake and Marguerite Rodgers joined forces to reimagine and upgrade the structures, each was considered separately. Equal parts renovation and restoration, the building systems and roofs were surgically removed and replaced while preserving the Georgian sensibility. Likewise, while the renewed interiors reflect the historic character — especially in the traditional elements of the paneled library and the rich wood carvings and vaulted plaster ceiling of the dining hall — the new spaces at the renovated basement levels accommodate programming shared by both Pierson and Davenport Colleges. Access from both buildings to a performance space/auditorium, rehearsal rooms, craft shops, snack bar/lounge, and exercise rooms is sleek and modern yet reveals excavated stone walls in an inspired juxtaposition between historic and present form and utility.

  • Architecture: KieranTimberlake
  • Photography: Halkin | Mason Photography
A spacious, elegant lounge with red sofas, patterned armchairs, bookshelves, a grand piano, and a black fireplace topped with a portrait. Four people are seated around tables, reading or conversing. Light from tall windows brightens the wooden floor and ornate rugs.
A quiet library with wooden bookshelves filled with books, armchairs around a beige rug, wooden tables, and chairs with lamps. Sunlight comes through the windows, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for reading or studying.
A cozy living space with intricate dark wood paneling, a gray couch, tan armchair, and a lamp. An upper loft with a wooden railing is visible. The ceiling is vaulted with exposed beams; arched windows and soft wall lighting complete the elegant look.
A grand dining hall with ornate chandeliers, wood-paneled walls, portraits, and an arched mirror. People sit at tables eating and conversing. The room has a high, decorated ceiling and large windows with curtains. The atmosphere is lively and historic.
Modern interior with stone and white walls, glass and metal stairway, wooden bench, metal railings, and recessed ceiling lights. A wooden elevator door is visible in the background, and there is a cutout in the wall revealing stonework.
Two people sit on a wooden bench in a hallway with stone accent walls, a staircase, and handrails. The floor is reddish-brown, and fluorescent lights hang from the ceiling. One person wears a light top; the other wears a hat. They appear to be talking.
Modern lecture hall with tiered wooden seats, glass railing along the left staircase, and minimalist lighting fixtures on the ceiling and walls. The room features neutral walls, wooden acoustic panels on the back wall, and a bright illuminated staircase at right.
Six people sit on red couches watching TV in a modern lounge with red walls. A chessboard and magazines are on tables. In the background, three people talk at a bar counter. The room has exposed ceilings and a casual, social atmosphere.