Herbaria

Originally constructed in 1954, the Harvard University Herbaria is one of the most extensive flora laboratories in New England. Containing more than 5 million species, the Herbaria maintains the tenth-largest collection of specimens in the world. To maintain this rare and delicate collection properly, renovations to the 10,000-square-foot herbarium were performed, providing all new casework and upgrades to the facility’s plumbing and HVAC components. The project began with a complete demolition of the existing laboratory within the occupied building, while maintaining tenancy on adjacent floors. In addition to the demolition of the existing laboratory within the occupied building, the project required upgrades to fire protection feeds, tie-ins to a new HVAC system, and on-site casework mockups. The Herbaria now includes one large wet lab, seven small laboratories for specialized research and equipment, and two restrooms. Today, the renovated space is used for research in forest ecology, plant diversity, and broader impacts of global change on terrestrial ecosystems.