Diller Scofidio + Renfro has completed the renovation of the Metropolitan Storage Warehouse at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The project transforms the 1894 brick building into a new home for the university's Department of Architecture and the Department of Urban Studies and Planning.
The original structure, once used to store goods for wealthy families, features historic brick architecture and fortress-like corner towers. To adapt the space for academic use, the architects removed portions of the interior masonry to increase ceiling heights. These structural changes allow for modern studios and makerspaces while reducing weight on the existing columns and wood piles.
The design team added new, lightweight floor slabs hung from the structure with steel straps. This approach enabled the creation of open and airy interiors, a shift from the building's previous constrained layout. Large double-height spaces now serve as central hubs, connected by a long public staircase that links various academic neighborhoods across the building's five volumes.
Exposed historical elements remain visible throughout the interior. Students can observe segments of original brick archways under the new floor slabs, highlighting the project's focus on adaptive reuse and the preservation of historical layers. The building is targeting LEED Gold certification for its energy performance and construction methods.
This project represents a significant shift for the architecture school, which will move from its current location in the nearby neoclassical Building 7. The warehouse will welcome students this fall, providing a space that blends industrial history with contemporary academic requirements.