Page 76 - ArchDC_Winter 2019

consumption for the Fellowship House with all 25 units
fully occupied was far less that the existing La Quercia
building unoccupied,” noted Coxson, illustrating both
the problems and opportunities that older buildings
present in terms of energy use. The renovation
included the installation of a highly-efficient variable
refrigerant flow (VRF) system, which is designed to
work only as hard as necessary to heat or cool the
building to a desired level. A 36-panel solar array on
the roof produces approximately 17,000 kWh per year
(U.S. electricity consumption is currently roughly
4,500 kWh per capita per year). Thanks to these and
other efforts, the project achieved LEED-CI v3.0 Gold
certification, and meets Harvard’s own stringent Green
Building Standards, which apply to all capital projects
over $100,000 undertaken by the university.
The renovation work included the two long,
narrow courtyards running most of the length of
the building on both sides, which were previously Residents’ lounge.
overgrown and disused. Working with the firm
Landscape Architecture Bureau, the design team
converted both of the semi-abandoned patios into
attractive outdoor spaces. The northern courtyard
was conceived as a contemplative garden, with a
meandering bluestone path, soft plantings, and a series
of architectural “follies.” The southern courtyard was
designed to accommodate small gatherings, with more
extensive bluestone paving, wood lattice fencing, and
moveable tables and chairs. Lining the wall along this
courtyard are four lead masks, which were among
those designed by Beatrix Farrand for some of the
garden fountains on the Bliss property but never
installed. The design team worked with the Dumbarton
Oaks staff to bring these to La Quercia as a reminder of
the connection between the satellite residential facility
and the central campus a few blocks away.
As is often the case with renovations in historic
districts, the street façade of this project bears few
signs of the changes within. For residents, however, the
dramatic transformation of La Quercia has yielded a
comfortable and healthful living environment that will
surely be more conducive to fruitful scholarship.

Courtesy of Cunningham | Quill Architects
Corridor before renovation. Renovated corridor.
74 ROOM(S) TO THINK