Building

The Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, completed in 1963, was one of the final projects designed by the Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier. Despite the controversy over adding a modernist building to the otherwise traditional campus, Le Corbusier felt that a building devoted to the visual arts must be an experience of freedom and unbounded creativity. The Carpenter Center represents Corbusier’s attempt to create a “synthesis of the arts”—the union of architecture with painting and sculpture—through his innovative design. The building was made possible by a gift from Alfred St. Vrain Carpenter, and the intent to house the artistic entities of Harvard College under one roof came to fruition in 1968 as the Department of Visual and Environmental Studies, renamed in 2019 as the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS). 

The five levels of the building function as open and flexible working spaces for painting, photography, drawing, mixed media, and sculpture, and the ramp through the heart of the building encourages public circulation and provides views into the studios, making the creative process visible through the building design. The Level 3 Sert Gallery, at the top of the ramp, and Level 1 gallery features the work of contemporary artists and exhibitions. The Carpenter Center is also home to the Harvard Film Archive, which brings to the public a unique program of classic, rare, and experimental films.

Visitors are welcome to explore parts of the building, including Level 1, Level 3, and Sert Gallery, and publicly accessible exterior spaces. Studios on Level B--5 are reserved for students enrolled in Harvard Art, Film, and Visual Studies courses. Group and class tours of the building may be requested using this form. Although currently limited, we are working to expand these offerings.