Ragon Institute: An Iconic, Performance-Driven Facade Unites Form & Function

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The Ragon Institute, a union of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT, and Harvard University, is at the forefront of infectious disease research. Its new 323,000 sq. ft. home cantilevers dramatically on three corners, embracing the unusual triangular free-standing site at the edge of Kendall Square and the MIT campus. 

Challenging local planning conventions, the building floats above the urban grove, a generous new urban landscape. High-performance facades rich in texture along with cutting-edge mechanical systems, natural ventilation, and bright, soaring spaces elevate the spirit and a functional mission to improve public health through disease prevention and cures.
 

Learning Objectives

1. Learn about the high-performance envelope, including an upper facade clad with a continuous vertical array of varying scalloped aluminum sunshades, transparent 20' tall structural glass wall, and highly efficient timber curtain wall.
2. Experience the transformation of a previously impervious, polluted site into an urban oasis and how the intricate network of public open spaces creates a climate-resilient landscape.
3. Discuss the careful planning that maximizes functional research space on the unusually shaped site while creating an airy, light-filled space for collaboration and amenities.
4. Examine how the project addresses occupant well-being in active and passive ways, from its features to its program.

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