IFI

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Cambridge, Massachusetts
3,000 SF

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The Harvard Interfaculty Initiative is an inventive multipurpose space that spans varying degrees of cultures and activities.  Most of the space functions as offices during the day, however in the evening a wide range of events are scheduled.  These include standard fare, such as teacher and student lecture classes, and catered conference room events, but also might involve clearing away the furniture and hosting yoga classes.  One of the more inspiring activities is an American Native prayer service that brings music and singing into the otherwise typical office setting; custom doors set in place are able to seal off part of the event space in order to allow for ritual events to be held in their specific traditional manner.

 

Given the diverse nature of this user group, the space has to be culturally neutral and capable of serving varying degrees of personal interaction and openness on many different planes of thought.  Bridging the look and feel of office space with complex interfaculty initiatives was the goal, and the research to gain cultural neutrality was only the start.