On October 2, 2024 MIT formally dedicated the newly renovated Met Warehouse (Building W41) in an evening ceremony that signals a new era for campus design practice. MIT Corporation chair Mark Gorenberg ’76 highlighted the Met’s core vision of connecting people, disciplines, and ideas, inviting everyone to explore those connections. President Sally Kornbluth called the building “a testament to the transformative power of design” and positioned it as a cornerstone of the West Campus art‑and‑design district, alongside the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building (W18) and the MIT Theater Arts building (W97). School of Architecture and Planning dean Hashim Sarkis recounted the project’s evolution from the late 2010s, noting how the warehouse’s thick brick façade and interior potential inspired a vision of living and working together on campus.
Originally constructed between 1884 and 1923 as a massive private storage facility, the Met Warehouse featured 2‑foot thick brick walls, a corner turret, and narrow slit windows, giving it a fortress‑like appearance. MIT acquired the structure in the 1970s and began exploring new uses in the 2010s. By 2018 the idea of housing the School of Architecture and Planning gained traction, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro won the design competition. With approval from the Cambridge Historical Commission, the team replaced four sections of north‑side brick with floor‑to‑ceiling glass and added skylights to flood the interior with natural light. Inside, the renovation preserved many structural elements while adding double‑height design studios, the Sidara Auditorium, a spacious lobby, a ground‑floor café, offices, and flexible, reconfigurable classrooms to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Open corridors run the length of all five floors, linked by a central staircase that enhances circulation and connectivity.
Kornbluth cited an MIT‑wide report on AI’s educational challenges, emphasizing the need to help students value “productive struggle” and engage in human‑centered learning. She argued that the Met Warehouse’s hands‑on, in‑person, collaborative problem‑solving environment is precisely what is required to meet the AI moment. Diller thanked associate architects Leers Weinzapfel Associates and contractor Shawmut Design and Construction, stressing that the building’s flexibility ensures it remains “definitively unfinished” and adaptable over time.
Faculty associate deans John Ochsendorf, Caroline Jones, and Lawrence Vale described how the new space supports research and teamwork. Major donors—including the Morningside Foundation, Sidara Group, and the LUMA Foundation—provided funding for the Morningside Academy for Design (MAD) and the MIT‑LUMA Lab, creating interdisciplinary hubs for art, science, technology, and design. Gorenberg concluded by invoking MIT’s motto “mens et manus” (mind and hand), calling the dedication a prime example of that principle in action.
Review