Vanserg Building
Address29, Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA, United States of America, 02138
Site Number334
Alternate Names
Van Serg Building,
ROTC Building
Building Root Number
04455
Architect (Original)
Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbott
Constructed
1943
Building Acquired 1946
Building Acquired 1946
StatusActive
Site Name HistoryThe site is named after an acronym for its early Harvard tenants: Veterans Affairs, Naval Science, Electronic Research, Graduate dining hall.Historical NotesThe Vanserg building (an acronym for its early Harvard tenants: Veterans Affairs, Naval Science, Electronic Research, Graduate dining hall) was built by the Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II for federally funded research on radar-jamming technology. Built primarily of wood to conserve critical materials like steel and concrete, it was intended as a temporary structure. Coolidge, Shepley Bulfinch and Abbott of Boston were the architects.Additional Information
Miller, Michael W. “Harvard’s Craziest Building.” The Harvard Crimson, 14 Oct. 1982, https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1982/10/14/harvards-craziest-building-pbnbestled-in-a/.