Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, Modern art center at Harvard University in Cambridge, US.
The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts is a modern art institution at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, built from exposed concrete and expansive glass panels. Five floors connect through curving ramps that pass through the interior, offering views into studio spaces where students work.
Le Corbusier designed the structure in the late 1950s, and it opened in 1963 as his sole realized project on the North American continent. The architect passed away two years after completion, making this his only legacy in the region.
The building honors Alfred St. Vrain Carpenter, whose donation enabled its construction and launched a new era of arts education at Harvard. Today visitors experience rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, often featuring works created by students who study on the upper floors.
Visitors can enter the public ramp that runs through the core, allowing a glimpse of studio activity without needing a ticket. Exhibition spaces sit on the ground floor and remain accessible during regular hours.
The spiral ramp runs straight through the heart of the structure, connecting two streets and allowing pedestrians to use the ground level as a public passage. As they walk, they peer through glass walls into workspaces where art students paint, sculpt, or photograph.
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