Lowell House

Marguerite Rodgers worked with Kieran Timberlake on a renewal program for Lowell House, one of Harvard University’s seven original residential Houses. Built in the 1920s and ‘30s along the Charles River to incorporate dorm living as a key component to the college experience, the oldest Houses, including Lowell, essentially remained as built, minor modern upgrades notwithstanding. Guided by Kieran Timberlake, Lowell House is now transformed to meet twenty-first-century standards and expectations, yet retains its historic identity. The interiors of the reconfigured common spaces and residential areas — home to 400 undergraduates — are enlivened by Marguerite Rodgers with striking, durable, comfortable, and welcoming designs. For the refurbished library, the original wood paneling was restored. The antique scenic wallpaper of the first-floor Junior Common Room was damaged beyond repair, so it was recreated using traditional woodblock printing techniques. The art studio and game rooms offer respite from studies and new lighting, mechanical, and technology systems throughout serve the current generation of students and beyond.

  • Architecture: KieranTimberlake
  • Photography: Michael Moran / OTTO
A wood-paneled library with tall bookshelves, three large arched windows with drapes, armchairs, and a wooden table. Two people sit working under desk lamps, one with a laptop and a coral jacket draped over her chair.
A modern lounge with wood accents, red sofas, art on the walls, and a staircase with black railings. A person in a blue jacket walks downstairs, while two people sit and talk by the windows. Large stone tiles cover the floor. Natural light fills the space.
A modern lounge with a pool table, red and yellow cushioned benches, wood and metal accents, and patterned wooden screens. Two people sit on a bench below, one using a laptop. Sunlight streams through a high window, brightening the space.
A student sits at a round table by a large bay window using a laptop. The room has ornate white paneling, a fireplace, leather chairs, a patterned rug, and wall murals depicting outdoor scenes. A backpack rests on the floor nearby.