The House

Quincy House at Harvard CollegeJosiah Quincy

Named for Josiah Quincy III (1772-1864), President of Harvard from 1829 to 1845, and also a mayor of Boston, congressman, judge, businessman, and author, Quincy House officially opened in September 1959. New Quincy, a restrained and unpretentious example of modern architecture, was designed by the distinguished Boston firm of Shepley,Bulfinch, Richardson and Abbott.

Quincy House symbolizes the new Harvard, as the first House to be built after the original seven river Houses of the early 1930s under President Lowell. The neo-Georgian building, originally called Mather Hall and part of Leverett House, was constructed in 1929-30 with finely detailed suites, high ceilings, carved moldings and fireplaces. Until construction of New Quincy necessitated their removal, the now open East Side was closed by a one-story range of squash courts.

New Quincy is an eight-story high-rise that combines modern design and convenience with wonderful views of its more traditional neighborhood. It consists of a two- story commons wing along Mt. Auburn Street, a nine-story main residence unit with split level suites having splendid views, and the almost completely detached raised House Library, the placement of which adds a second interior court to the series of courtyards and gardens that are a distinctive part of the House.