School of Design Requests $2 Million in U.S. Funds

The Graduate School of Design has applied for approximately $2 million for the Higher Education Facilities Act to help construct its new building.

A team of Federal officials visited Cambridge last month to inspect the site the new building--the northeast corner of the Yard where Hunt Hall, of the four buildings currently used by the Design School, is located.

Deans for the new building were announced last Spring. It will consolidate school's activities, which are now scattered in Hunt Hall, Robinson Hall, old Harvard University Press Bindery on Memorial Drive, and the base of Memorial Hall.

The Design School's application is the first made by the University under two-year old Higher Education Facilities Act. A decision is expected something next month. Under the law, the government can provide up to one of the total cost of a new building. Because of the large number of applications, however, there is an outside possibly that grants will be somewhat less of this maximum.

To finance the remaining construction expenses, the Design School has initiated a fund drive of more than $10 million. William A. Doebele Jr., Associate Dean for Development, said yesterday that it would probably be about 2 years before the drive is completed. The money would also be used to endow new professorships, increase the number of fellowships, and improve the School's Library.