Transcript

Well, it's clear that the campus has changed a lot over even the last 10, 15 years. If you did a map of where students are, for example, that's changed a lot. The center of the MBA program has now become between Spangler Hall, on one hand, and Aldrich on the other, rather than on the north side of Aldrich and Baker Library, where it once was. So much has changed.

What I hope happens—and we have recently had a campus planning exercise that's helped us think in a more rigorous way about this—is I would certainly hope that the campus evolves in a way that's true to and consistent with the original McKim, Mead & White principles of the campus. It's laid out in these arcs with radial lines that point back at Eliot House on the other side of the river. It is neo-Georgian. Most architects hate that. Most real people love that.

So I'd love to keep it a campus that defines our community in a consistent way. Consistent from building to building, and consistent in terms of the continuity across time. So—as I've said somewhat jokingly to my colleagues across the river—I love modern architecture, as long as it's red brick, white trim, and green doors.

And that pretty much summarizes where I'd like to keep it headed. Not quite. I like having new and interesting buildings—for example, the Chapel is very different—and yet I think consistent with the architectural theme of the place. So I think, in fact, we can put really interesting buildings in a really interesting campus. But I would want it to continue the geographic layout of the McKim, Mead & White design to move further south as it must, as we put new buildings in. As it already has, and as will continue to happen. And finally, to consist of new buildings that are architecturally consistent with what we've done in the past.