Pierce Hall

Built in 1901 and one of the oldest buildings on Oxford Street, Pierce Hall is at the center of the SEAS campus and activities. The structure was created to support the expansion of engineering in the early 20th century, with an emphasis on drafting (hence the skylights on the 3rd floor, where the new flexible-use classroom—the Stephanie F. Connaughton Room—now resides). SEAS Administration and faculty offices are housed in this building, along with the SEAS Library, innovative classrooms, and teaching labs. Pierce is connected to Cruft Laboratory and Maxwell Dworkin by bridges. The stately building is set back from Oxford Street and faces Holmes Field,establishing two primary elevations of the building: the formal front facing Oxford Street, and a campus front facing Holmes Field and the neighboring Law School. Classically composed and with elaborate masonry details and ornamentation on both primary facades, Pierce Hall contributes to the historic core of Oxford Street.