Harvard Business School (HBS) announced that it would build a significant new structure on the Schoolâs Boston campus, where HBS can harness the energy and creativity of the thousands of students, faculty, alumni, and leaders of all kinds who convene there each year. Expected to open in 2018, the facility will combine the elements of a large-scale conference center, a performance space, and an intimate community forum.
The new building will be named Klarman Hall in recognition of a generous gift from Seth and Beth Klarman. Seth Klarman (MBA 1982) is president and CEO of The Baupost Group, a Boston-based investment management firm. His wife, Beth Klarman, is president of the Klarman Family Foundation. Both are also members of the Business Schoolâs Board of Deanâs Advisors.
In discussing their inspiration for the gift, Mr. Klarman noted that Harvard Business School has a unique capacity to contribute to the public dialogue about effective and responsible management.
âWhen you bring people with talent, vision, and ambition together in a space designed specifically to facilitate connections, conversation, and debate, the potential for transformative ideas and action is limitless,â said Mr. Klarman. âBeth and I believe game-changing innovations will emerge from this space. HBS has played an important and ongoing role in my life and itâs a privilege to able to give back to a school that has given us so much.â
Harvard Business School hosts some 700 events a year ranging in nature from research conferences to symposia to cultural events. Tens of thousands participate. Its residential campus is a place where learning happens not just in the classroom but also over meals, in the hallways, and in common areas throughout the campus. As the Schoolâs renowned case method of discussion-based learning demonstrates, HBS is a place where frank conversations can lead to consensus and ultimately, action.
Noted HBS Dean Nitin Nohria, âWith this wonderful gift, the Klarmans enable us to bring together leadersâin academia, in business, and in policyâin a world-class way to spur not just dialogue but action. We know that if we can create a gathering place of high functionality and high purpose, and if we leverage our convening power within that space, we can significantly affect the public debate about issues that are of the greatest importance to people at this School, in this country, and around the globe. All this is in keeping with Harvard Business Schoolâs mission of educating leaders who make a difference in the world.â
"Through their efforts in business, their engagement in their community, and their involvement in philanthropy and charitable work, Beth and Seth Klarman have set the highest possible standard for those who want to dedicate their resources, as they have stated, to 'the service of society's greatest challenges,'" said Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust. "Their generosity will make lasting marks at Harvard and beyond. We are grateful to them for this magnificent gift and for what it will do to enhance the educational experiences of future generations of students, faculty, and leaders who will gather at Harvard Business School to exchange ideas and have an impact on scholarship and society."
To be located next to the Spangler Center at HBS, Klarman Hall will be designed by Boston-based William Rawn and Associates, architects of the recently opened Tata Hall, as a vibrant space with an eye toward flexibility, adaptability, and accessibility.
âGiven the wide range of events and gatherings that will take place in Klarman Hall, itâs imperative that the space be able to support, complement, and facilitate activities both big and small,â said Rawn. âWe are drawing inspiration and insight from places that feature the worldâs greatest thinkers, leaders, and performers and trying to bring those elements together in one place. At this point, âhe continued, âwe know that the new facility will almost certainly combine an outstanding core auditorium with smaller breakout spaces of appropriate quantity and quality. Given the speed of change, the structure will certainly be designed to accommodate technologies that havenât even been imagined yet. My colleagues and I are all honored and excited to be a part of this important project.â
Klarman Hall will feature:
- State-of-the-art technology enabling connections with scholars and thought leaders around the world;
-
Stage and backstage capacity, acoustics, and equipment for spoken-word events, films, and cultural events;
-
A multipurpose foyer; and
-
Pre-function reception space.
HBS has established LEED Gold as the campus standard and currently has seven-LEED certified buildings on campus.
âThanks to the generosity of Beth and Seth Klarman,â said John Hess (MBA 1977), chairman of the current HBS Capital Campaign, âHarvard Business School will continue to be a leader for many years to come in bringing people together to discuss and advance important and innovative ideas that will have an impact on business and society. We are deeply appreciative of their faith in the School and Dean Nohriaâs leadership and will do all we can to fulfill the dream that this gift makes possible.â
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 14, 2024
First-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic combines training gym and healing spa
Parker Performance Institute in Frisco, Texas, is billed as a first-of-its-kind sports and rehabilitation clinic where students, specialized clinicians, and chiropractic professionals apply neuroscience to physical rehabilitation.Â
Market Data | Mar 14, 2024
Download BD+C's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report
U.S. construction spending on buildings-related work rose 1.4% in January, but project teams continue to face headwinds related to inflation, interest rates, and supply chain issues, according to Building Design+Construction's March 2024 Market Intelligence Report (free PDF download).Â
Apartments | Mar 13, 2024
A landscaped canyon runs through this luxury apartment development in Denver
Set to open in April, One River North is a 16-story, 187-unit luxury apartment building with private, open-air terraces located in Denverâs RiNo arts district. Biophilic design plays a central role throughout the building, allowing residents to connect with nature and providing a distinctive living experience.
Sustainability | Mar 13, 2024
Trends to watch shaping the future of ESG
Genslerâs Climate Action & Sustainability Services Leaders Anthony Brower, Juliette Morgan, and Kirsten Ritchie discuss trends shaping the future of environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
Affordable Housing | Mar 12, 2024
An all-electric affordable housing project in Southern California offers 48 apartments plus community spaces
In Santa Monica, Calif., Brunson Terrace is an all-electric, 100% affordable housing project thatâs over eight times more energy efficient than similar buildings, according to architect Brooks + Scarpa. Located across the street from Santa Monica College, the net zero building has been certified LEED Platinum.
Museums | Mar 11, 2024
Nebraskaâs Joslyn Art Museum to reopen this summer with new Snøhetta-designed pavilion
In Omaha, Neb., the Joslyn Art Museum, which displays art from ancient times to the present, has announced it will reopen on September 10, following the completion of its new 42,000-sf Rhonda & Howard Hawks Pavilion. Designed in collaboration with Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the Hawks Pavilion is part of a museum overhaul that will expand the gallery space by more than 40%.
Affordable Housing | Mar 11, 2024
Los Angelesâs streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans
Since December 2022, Los Angelesâs planning department has received plans for more than 13,770 affordable units. The number of units put in the approval pipeline in roughly one year is just below the total number of affordable units approved in Los Angeles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 11, 2024
BIM at LOD400: Why Level of Development 400 matters for design and virtual construction
As construction projects grow more complex, producing a building information model at Level of Development 400 (LOD400) can accelerate schedules, increase savings, and reduce risk, writes Stephen E. Blumenbaum, PE, SE, Walter P Moore's Director of Construction Engineering.
AEC Tech | Mar 9, 2024
9 steps for implementing digital transformation in your AEC business
Regardless of a businesses size and type, digital solutions like workflow automation software, AI-based analytics, and integrations can significantly enhance efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness.
Office Buildings | Mar 8, 2024
Conference room design for the hybrid era
Sam Griesgraber, Senior Interior Designer, BWBR, shares considerations for conference room design in the era of hybrid work.