John W. Lederle Graduate Research Center

The John W. Lederle Graduate Research Center is a 16-story high-rise at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that rises about 210 feet above campus. The building holds research laboratories, faculty offices, meeting spaces, and a dedicated science and engineering library serving students and researchers.

The building opened in 1966 during a major campus expansion under President John W. Lederle, whose name it eventually took. This period marked growing investment in research facilities across the university.

The building contains departments of Astronomy, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Biochemistry, creating an environment for scientific collaboration and discovery.

The building sits in a central location on campus and is easily reached by walking paths and multiple entry points. Note that laboratory areas may be restricted and accessible only to authorized personnel.

The facade features exposed concrete with a grid-like window pattern, a hallmark of 1960s modernist architecture. This spare, functional style was typical of academic buildings from that era.