Design and Construction

Panoramic photograph of the Longwood Avenue Quadrangle, circa 1920s

Although there have been many internal alterations to the Medical School buildings over the past century and the surrounding area has changed almost beyond recognition, the basic design of the Quad—a classically-inspired central administration building and four wings—remains constant. Additions could be made to the back of each wing, as needed, and so the original architectural design of the Quad could be maintained, as has been the case.

The approach to the Administration Building [Gordon Hall], 1906

The main administration or A building—now Gordon Hall—housed offices for the Dean and Secretary, the Faculty Room, lecture rooms, and rooms for the students and alumni. The Warren Anatomical Museum was displayed around the central atrium of the building, over three floors, and illuminated by a central skylight.

The four C-shaped wings each had a similar outline and contained laboratory space linked by an amphitheater surmounted by libraries, offices, and large classrooms, with light reaching the interior from a central court. Each of the four buildings housed particular affiliated departments; B Building—now Goldenson—contained anatomy, histology, and embryology; C had physiology and physiological chemistry; D—now Armenise—bacteriology and pathology; and E—now part of the Tosteson Medical Education Center—held hygiene, pharmacology, and surgical research.

Floorplan from The Harvard Medical School, 1782-1906, edited by Harold C. Ernst, Professor of Bacteriology.
Although Thomas Francis Harrington published a three-volume history of the Medical School in 1905, the dedication of the new buildings prompted the appearance of this shorter commemorative work, with a history of the individual departments and a description of the Longwood facility. One thousand copies were printed and distributed to the faculty, donors to the new campus, distinguished guests present at the dedication ceremonies, and prominent medical libraries and schools.

The Boston Sunday Post for May 13, 1906, described the new facilities:

In the centre of each building is an amphitheatre occupying two stories and in the second story of each is a library. These are accessible from both the wings of which each building is made up…. The large laboratories have high ceilings with windows reaching to the ceilings, adequately lighting every portion of the room. Between the main laboratory floors are intermediate stories where the small rooms are located, giving a better proportion of rooms, a better arrangement of light, and doubling the floor area…. The anatomy and histology [department] has its separate driveway for introducing anatomical subjects, a large refrigerator for storage, isolated dissecting rooms and an elevator…. In the physiology building are pens, cages and exercise yards for animals on the roof, while each department conducting operations on animals has its animal operating suite equipped with the most approved operating appliances.

The original interior design of each wing was based on a series of small unit rooms for research—like cells in the body—approximately 10 feet wide with a window to provide light, with walls which could be rebuilt or enlarged to accommodate changing needs.

Construction of Buildings E (left background) and D (right) of the Longwood Avenue Quadrangle, 1904

Ground was broken for the new campus at Longwood in September 1903, and the new buildings were ready for occupation by the opening of term in the fall of 1906.