Harvard University, Cambridge Queen’s Head

Cambridge Queen’s Head is a new center for undergraduate social life situated in Loker Commons, on the lower level of historic Memorial Hall. The design team worked with student and administration leaders to transform what was formerly an underused dining facility into a unique, student-run campus pub serving the Harvard community. The pub was named for John Harvard’s 17th-century inn and tavern, the Cambridge Queen’s Head.
Materials include a rich palette of finishes relating to Sanders Theater, which is situated in the upper floors of Memorial Hall. Historic artwork, memorabilia and Harvard trivia are woven throughout the design, providing meaningful ties to the university’s history and a strong sense of place. The design team rummaged through attics, storage rooms and university archives to select these elements, many of which are authentic Memorial Hall details. The gargoyle hanging behind the bar originally hung from the Memorial Hall tower. During the fire of 1956, it fell from the tower and landed safely in a snow bank. It is now on loan from the Fogg Art Museum.
Other reused items include the entry doors, which were recovered from the Memorial Hall attic, and historic art-glass panels, which were added to the Memorial Hall kitchen during its addition in 1911, but later were removed during its 1994 expansion.

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