Nearly all Harvard undergraduates — 98% — live in one of 12 residential Houses, the foundation of the undergraduate experience. In 2012, the Harvard Undergraduate Housing Renewal Program began to reconfigure interior spaces of the Houses, an effort that continues to this day.

The program’s goals are to meet the complex needs of today’s students, relieve overcrowding, improve privacy and comply with current building codes. The renovations aim to enhance program spaces to better support students’ academic and social development and upgrade outdated building systems and infrastructure. 

In June 2019, the program team began a multiphase, multiyear renovation and renewal of Adams House, the oldest house, which was founded in 1931. The project involved transformation and expansion of its residential, social, academic and art spaces. It also upgraded outdated building systems and infrastructure, including comprehensive upgrades to systems and circulation. 

The project comprised seven interconnected buildings and common areas, such as library spaces, spanning three city blocks. These structures date back from the 18th through 20th centuries. The five main buildings that make up Adams House include Apthorp House, the faculty dean’s residence; residential buildings Westmorly Court, Claverly Hall and Randolph Hall; and Russell Hall, which contains the main dining hall and common spaces. Some of Adams House’s more famous former residents include Franklin Roosevelt, Buckminster Fuller, William Randolph Hearst Sr., Jack Lemmon and Amy Brenneman.

Photos by Lora Morini

As each house is known for distinctive architectural and historic elements, each renewal presents challenges and opportunities for the project team, including Beyer Blinder Belle, the Boston-based architect and design firm overseeing the work. The renewal of Adams House retained some features in the buildings that predate the American Revolution, such as an antique printing press and a theater crafted from a swimming pool. The project also sought to improve accessibility and provide modern amenities. Adams House is now fully accessible to all its students, thanks to the addition of elevators and ramps.

The phased renewal of Adams House stretched across five years, concluding in 2024, nearly double the span of the College’s other House renovations. Delays took place due to the pandemic and the challenge of renovating the separate buildings, each of which was built at a different time by a different architect. For the two-year period (from 2023 to 2024 and then from 2024 to 2025), when the dining hall and kitchen were under construction, Adams House operated in what is known as Swing Space, a converted hotel, with dining and residential space.

“We are grateful for the kitchen and servery to be part of the House renewal,” says Smitha Haneef, managing director, Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS). “In the past, dining renovations were done separately. Bringing them into the larger renewal program is a significant step into a new era.”

The renovation of Adams House, Harvard’s oldest House, preserves the historic features and modernizes for the present and future. Photo by Kris Snibbe, Harvard University

Past Remains Present

Adams House is known for its history, gold-leafed rooms, Moorish ceilings and stained-glass windows, and the renovation project preserved all this. The most architecturally challenging facets of the renovation and renewal, the entrance and dining room, required preserving the historic elements such as dark wood and paneling while also brightening up the space. Architects added more windows and clear glass skylights to bring in more natural light to not only the dining room but also the servery. Though not in the primary entryway, a new glass elevator provides a contrast to the traditional stone and brickwork throughout the house. The entire project is certified LEED Gold.

In addition, the seating area was expanded to 320 seats, with the addition of lounge chairs to the more traditional chairs. Many students want to live and dine in Adams House because it is the closest dining location to Harvard Yard and the majority of classes. In addition to the main dining room seating, Adams House’s private dining rooms and nooks are interconnected. “For events such as an alumni event and another for college and faculty deans, held to introduce the renovation, we used all the spaces, which is an important part of the diners’ experience,” Haneef says.

Another dining project goal addressed the aging infrastructure. The kitchen was last renovated in the 1990s, and the age of the facility led to multiple unseen issues in the dining facilities such as leaking pipes under the flooring. “This project placed greater emphasis on what is behind the walls and under the floors,” Haneef says. “There is easy access with mechanical, electrical and plumbing. We used very high-grade pipes and made sure the team has good access to the equipment and areas that need to be cleaned. This is all part of sustainability in the long term.”

In addition to hard wall surfaces and welded sheath flooring material, all of which are easy to clean, other new sustainable features include LED lighting and more efficient exhaust hoods. “Whenever possible we purchase electric kitchen equipment,” says Robert Leandro, director of operations and facilities for HUDS. “Since the last big renovation in the 1990s, we’ve kept some of that equipment. The kitchen’s planning took place before electric was ‘the thing.’” 

Students make their own greens and grains bowls; select breakfast cereals with seeds, raisins and other toppings, and order grilled menu items.

Back-of-the-House Flow and Operations

“We wanted to continue to have a good flow, bringing everything in through the back of the kitchen and moving it through production and out to the front of the house,” Leandro says. 

During the renovation, the footprint from the original space was reduced somewhat. This led to some design updates, such as including sliding kitchen doors, to ensure clear walkways in a slightly narrower kitchen. “In the back of the house, we were under tight conditions,” says Greg Boguniewicz, principal, Ricca Design Studios. “We studied the walls to figure out how to maximize storage. There was a demolition of existing walls, and we had to reorganize some of the space, taking some of it from the adjacent theater, to make room for more dry storage and a janitor’s closet. We also had to rethink how to reallocate cold storage.” The addition of heavy-duty shelving in storage areas opens up more space.

In addition, the dish room was moved further forward into the operation to streamline the flow of dishes from both diners and the service area. “In the dish room, in order to respect the infrastructure, we made better use of the space by compartmentalizing the dish room into two parts,” Boguniewicz adds. The dishwash area for guest dishes contains a rack conveyor dishwasher. The area for pots holds a high-speed, agitating soak sink. 

One of the most significant changes in the dish room is the addition of a new food waste collector that collects waste into a compost receptacle with a removable perforated basket that staff place in a compost bin. “We were manually scraping plates and filling trash cans and sending waste into old, decomposing pipes,” Leandro says. “Now, there is no more grinding, flushing and transporting waste through pipes, which is a huge improvement.” 

Students create their own deli sandwiches with choices of breads, vegetables and proteins.

The space the dish room previously occupied was repurposed to benefit the community and the operation. “We took space that was the dish room and made it into a brain break area that is isolated at night after 9 p.m. so students can go in and get beverages and food in a designated space,” Leandro says. “In the past, students, would go into the servery and kitchen to get beverages and food. Now, the brain break area is a place we can leave open and accessible while we lock up the kitchen and serving area when they are not being used.”

Another change is the upgrade of staff locker rooms. “The team needed good locker rooms with bathrooms and space to change clothes so they can feel good about being ready to go to work,” Haneef says. “Though the space is small, this is so important.”

Deliveries arrive at a back door. Staff place items into a walk-in cooler for produce, a walk-in cooler for meat and dairy, a walk-in freezer and dry storage. Staff prepare mise en place in a cold prep area that contains a long prep table, slicer and food processor. 

The battery of equipment lines up in single file. Staff prepare soups and sauces in a 40-gallon tilting kettle and prepare entrees such as chicken tikka masala or stir-fries in a 40-gallon tilting skillet. They use a 60-quart mixer to prepare mashed potatoes and menu items for special baking projects.

The linear hot food prep line also contains a bain-marie, two combi ovens for cooking proteins, a double-stacked convection oven for cooking pizzas, baked potatoes, lasagnas and breads. It also contains a charbroiler for grilled menu items such as proteins and vegetables, two griddles for preparing pancakes, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches and eggs, a fryer battery for pot stickers, french fries, tater tots, popcorn shrimp and Friday fried fish and chips, and a six-burner range for cooking small-batch or custom menu items such as sauces for catered events or individual allergen-free meals for students with unique dietary needs. A new exhaust hood covers this area. “Putting on my chef’s hat, this is a kitchen I would like to cook in,” Haneef says. “Bob did a great job working with the architects and consultants to rethink this space.”

The entree station’s heated decks hold battered and fried fresh fish, chicken fajitas, shrimp and andouille sausage étouffée, and spicy Cajun chicken. Students also find hash browns and other side dishes.

Front-of-the-House Servery

The new skylights with clear glass, in contrast to the previous skylights with frosted glass, significantly brighten the servery. In addition, the project brought some of the culinary areas out more into the front and center of the dining area to permit greater staff interaction and engagement.

Guests encounter a variety of stations when they walk into the servery. “We had to be clever about how we positioned equipment on the serving lines,” Boguniewicz says. “For instance, the action/display cooking station needed a cookline with enough cooking power to make it exciting, give a nod to freshness and make it better for throughput.”

All of the Houses use the same menu, which is revised and refreshed each year.

The action/display cooking station, Comfort Grill, contains an undercounter refrigerator and freestanding refrigeration to hold proteins and other ingredients for the culinary staff’s easy access. Staff use the charbroiler to cook grilled menu items such as burgers and hot dogs, a boilerless steamer for vegetables and a flattop for making eggs and quesadillas. Staff use a fryer to cook fries and chicken for Nashville hot chicken sandwiches. Project designers installed a new exhaust hood for this equipment.

Stations present food in hot and cold wells and heated decks. A center prep area contains an induction cooker and drop-in induction rethermalizer.

The entree station’s heated decks hold locally caught fresh fish (battered and fried), chicken fajitas, shrimp and andouille sausage étouffée, and spicy Cajun chicken. Students also find hash browns and other side dishes. Vegan and vegetarian options here include kelp burgers, chickpea po’ boys, tarka daal and stewed garbanzos with tomato and spinach. Nearby, students find breakfast bakery menu items such as cinnamon rolls, muffins and bagels.

At the soup station, drop-in, induction rethermalizing units hold at least two soup varieties such as New England clam chowder, roasted vegetable soup and chili. A nearby pasta bar offers pasta and two sauces such as Alfredo and marinara.

The linear, hot cookline supports bulk food production.

The halal serving station features a daily entree uniquely prepared with halal-certified proteins, and sides such as halal beef meatballs, chicken stir-fry or salmon with lemon and capers. “This station didn’t come as an afterthought,” Haleef says. “There is a separate service point that is not in the kitchen.”

The deli counter features sliced deli proteins, cheeses, guacamole, chicken salad and tuna salad with breads and condiments.

At a make-your-own counter, students use a waffle batter dispenser and waffle makers with HUDS’ renowned Veritaffle, a waffle with the Harvard Veritas crest, to create their menu items. 

At the cold holding bar, students find breakfast menu items such as select yogurts, cottage cheese, granola and fresh fruit in the morning. At lunch and dinner, the greens and grains station features more than 30 components like leafy greens, whole grains, a variety of proteins, and roasted cold vegetables such as cubed butternut squash, in addition to dressings, oils and spices.

In the breakfast area, students help themselves to cereal from at least 12 dispensers. They also dish up oatmeal with various toppings.

The dessert station displays hot and cold sweets such as maple-and-apple bread pudding, freshly baked cookies, pies, banana pudding and sundaes.

Beverage stations containing hot and cold dispensers were moved to an adjacent area, which eases congestion around the foodservice areas.

“Like any project with a punch list, we were running haywire up until the last minute when we opened,” Haneef says. “Since the opening of the renovated Adams House, the HUDS team continually receives rave reviews. Students, deans, faculty and alums are super thrilled. And we’re so pleased to be part of the Harvard Undergraduate Housing Renewal Program.”

About the Project

• Opened: September 2025
• Scope of project: A complete renovation of the back of the house and a front-of-the-house restoration, both part of a broader renewal project on campus
• Website: dining.harvard.edu
• Harvard College: The undergraduate liberal arts school offering bachelor’s degrees. Harvard University is the entire institution, encompassing Harvard College and its 12 specialized graduate and professional schools.
• Adams House: One of Harvard’s 12 residential Houses, each accommodating between 350 and 500 students (excluding first-year students who live in dorms in or near Harvard Yard)
• Kitchen and server size: 5,300 sq. ft.
• Seats: 320
• Hours:
  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., daily
  • Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday
  • Brunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
  • Dinner: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., daily
  • Brain break: begins at 9 p.m., Sunday-Thursday
• Daily transactions/covers: 68,372 meals from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, 2025
• Average check: All undergraduates participate in the mandatory unlimited meal plan as part of their residential experience
• Menu concepts: Action/grill, entrees, deli, halal, make-your-own, salads, soups, pasta, cereal, beverages
• Staff: 3 managers, 32 staff

A waste collector and three-compartment sink support staff as they clean up after food preparation and tray/plate cleaning.

Key Players

• Owner: Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences
• President: Alan Garber
• Dean of the College: David Deming
• Harvard University Dining Services:
  • Managing director: Smitha Haneef
  • Director of operations and facilities: Robert Leandro
  • Director for culinary operations: Martin Breslin
  • Director for residential dining operations: Barb Kempken
  • Unit manager: Leonard Dortch
  • Chef de cuisine: Josiah Richmond
  • Assistant manager: Nelly Vavu
• Architect: Beyer Blinder Belle, Boston: Aaron Lamport, AIA, LEED AP, principal; Elizabeth R. Leber, AIA, LEED AP, managing partner
• Interior design: Beyer Blinder Belle, Boston
• Foodservice consultant: Ricca Design Studios, Greenwood Village, Colo.: Greg Boguniewicz, principal
• Equipment dealer: Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, Taunton, Mass.: Noel Moreira, CFSP, vice president Northeast; Roy Oliveira, installer