Baker Dormitory-MIT | Alvar Aalto
7-12-2025: Moderni;Designed by Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto during his time teaching at MIT, Baker House (Building W7) is emblematic of the institution’s postwar shift toward emphasizing the residential experience of undergraduate students. The rear facade, which looks out onto the athletic facilities today, is punctuated by the outline of two stairwells in red tile cladding. The angularity of the stairs, the Tetris-like groupings of windows that punctuate the walls, and the overhang of the common spaces on the north elevation operate as counterparts to the smooth, fluid surface of the residential rooms on the opposite side. Prioritizing the lived realities of student experience over a rigid, singular, aesthetic language… Read More!


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