The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Central campus

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Institution Name: Sarah Lawrence College
Original/Historic Place Name: Lawrence estate
Location on Campus:
Date(s) of Construction:

1927-1928

original construction Bates & How Bates, William A.

Designer: Bates & How; William Bates
Type of Place: Building group
Style: Other (Glossary)
Significance: architecture, education, landscape
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Function:

pre- 1927	private residence (family estate of Lawrence family)
ca. 2004-present (2006)	master plan (campus, central)

Narrative:
Dudley Lawrence, one of the sons of William and Sarah Lawerence, achieved the remarkable feat of constructing an entire campus in one year (1927-1928). In addition to modifying his parents' home and the auxiliary buildings, he supervised the construction of three dormitories and all the necessary heating and sewer services. The new halls were designed by William A. Bates, who repeated the Neo-Tudor style of Westlands in a remarkably ingenious adaptation to the difficult sloping site. The great five-story height is minimized by having entrances at the middle level as well as by the horizontal lines, stone and timber materials, and mansard roofs. Other later notable additions were Bates Hall in 1929, MacCracken Hall, designed by Kenneth How, in 1930 (named for a former president of Vassar and Sarah Lawrence trustee, Henry Noble MacCracken), and Andrews House, designed by Penrose Stout and moved to campus in 1935.

References: