‘Science on Display:’ First Phase of Teaching Lab Renovations Completed in Science Center

Harvard completed the first phase of Science Center Teaching Lab renovations in January, refreshing existing lab spaces with glass walls and introducing collaboration spaces on the first and second floors of the building.

The renovations, which began in December 2023, are the first part of a project to open and connect teaching spaces in the Science Center. The construction of phase two is currently underway on the second floor, and is set to finish by August 2025.

Initially built in 1972 and designed by Josep Lluís Sert, the Science Center has not received a major upgrade in decades.

The first phase consisted of completing the Light Service Lab on the first floor and the Heavy Service Lab on the second floor, which support over 1,200 students during the spring semester. The renovations also included technological upgrades, such as new fume hoods in laboratories and audio-visual equipment in lecture halls.

Students also have access to a new collaboration space on the first floor, featuring comfortable furniture meant to encourage informal interactions between students and faculty.

According to Associate Dean of Science Education and Lecturer on Physics Logan S. McCarty, the renovations have already created a close-knit environment for students and teachers to interact outside of class.

“It’s amazing having all of the folks who teach chemistry all be together in this space, and have a space where students can easily come and find us,” McCarty said.

“We host help rooms, and I can just walk out of my office and go check on my students while they’re there. I wouldn’t have just casually had those kind of casual interactions before,” he added.

Gregorio Ponti, a preceptor in physics, said the new glass walls in labs have changed classroom dynamics and make him “very aware of being watched.”

Ponti added that students have similar sentiments.

“They are less willing to write down the wrong thing, because somebody from the outside might be judging them,” he said.

“This is just like the modern trend of the Science Center,” he added. “It’s just science on display. And some people like it, and some people don’t.”

Phase two, which is currently underway on the second floor, will rework the layout of existing lab spaces, updating technology and creating a better teaching environment for faculty and staff.

University spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo highlighted upgrades that enhance accessibility, including assistive listening technologies and lecture-capture equipment. He also noted the new incorporation of warm wooden accents, balancing Sert’s iconic concrete architecture.

“The introduction of wood was intended to add warmth and comfort to public areas,” Palumbo wrote in a statement.

But as students enjoy the new facilities, Palumbo noted that the renovation process included some challenges.

“The structure’s tendency to transfer sound across long distances amplifies noise impacts, affecting areas far beyond the immediate construction site,” he wrote.

Harvard worked to minimize disruption during construction, relocating staff offices and authorizing overtime work to complete the “most disruptive activities when the building was less occupied,” according to Palumbo.

Despite these logistical challenges, teaching largely proceeded smoothly during the construction.

“We managed to do the entire project without students having to do labs in another building or canceling planned labs,” McCarty said.

Oluwadara “Dara” Omoloja ’26, who studies neuroscience, said she was pleased with the changes. Omoloja praised the centralization of the faculty offices, and said that it fostered stronger connections between students and teachers.

“I’m actually very close to professors in the chemistry department, and I'm happy they're back in the Science Center,” Omoloja said. “I like that this is a concentrated location that’s nearby the majority of my classes.”

—Staff writer Bianca G. Ciubancan can be reached at bianca.ciubancan@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Mohan A. Hathi can be reached at mohan.hathi@thecrimson.com.