Eugene Han
Seoul Foreign School
Abstract
Sever Hall and Austin Hall on the Harvard campus both exemplify the Richardsonian Romanesque style of the late 19th century, showcasing architect Henry Hobson Richardson’s characteristic use of structure, ornamentation, and arches in the architecture of class-purposed halls. This essay examines how Richardson’s style evolved between two key Harvard projects. Applying architectural principles of utilitas (utility), firmitas (structure), and venustas (beauty), I highlight Richardson’s careful strategy with Sever Hall in particular to reconcile his newly American style with the dominantly British-influenced surroundings of the Harvard Yard. By using crimson-colored bricks, Richardson blended his structure well with the surroundings and expressed his distinctive style at the same time. Tucked away on the law school side, his second alma mater project, Austin Hall, standing alone as one of the first few structures in that area, did not face the same contextual constraints, emerging as an expression of Richardson’s greater individuality in style.
