Jessie Cheung, Staff Photographer
The reopening of most of Yale’s buildings will offer familiarity to returning students who have experienced a large number of closures during the pandemic, but first-years and seniors alike will have their very first experience with the newly renamed and freshly renovated Humanities Quadrangle and Schwarzman Center.
The Humanities Quadrangle takes the place of what returning Yalies know as the Hall of Graduate Studies, and will serve as a new and improved home for the faculty, staff and graduate students of the humanities department. The Schwarzman Center comprises two buildings previously known as Commons, a dining hall and Memorial Hall — a hall inscribed with the names of Yalies who died in military service. It will function as a hub for student arts and entertainment.
Both campus destinations are opening after years of anticipation — they have both been under construction since 2018. Additionally, both were expected to open earlier, but have faced significant delays.
For the Humanities Center, the delay was due to issues in the construction schedule resulting from public safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project originally planned to conclude in the fall semester of 2020, but the building was not opened until the spring of 2021, with some ongoing construction still continuing. Nevertheless, Bryan D’Orlando, construction project manager at the Yale University Office of Facilities, expressed his gratitude for the construction team.
“Whether it’s a laborer on site, a plaster restoration artist, the architect, other Yale stakeholder teams, we all realize the uniqueness that comes with a restoration [and] renovation project such as this,” D’Orlando said. “It’s truly a team effort to get where we are now, with many team members to thank.”
In contrast, the decision to delay the Schwarzman Center’s opening was intentional. Construction was finished for the planned opening in the fall semester of 2020, but the building was kept closed due to the public health situation.
Maurice Harris, the Schwarzman Center director of communications, commented that most of the activities planned for the center — social gatherings, a cappella concerts and dances, to name a few — could not be held in accordance with social distancing guidelines. In response, the center launched an online website to facilitate some artistic activities. These included virtual community dance lessons and “Storyboard,” an interactive platform for students to collaborate on artistic projects.
“Being safe during this time of COVID-19 can feel isolating, so I hope the Schwarzman Center’s new website becomes a digital space for connecting and creating, where important stories are told and fulfilling relationships are formed,” Executive Director Garth Ross wrote in an email to the News. “And when we can eventually gather over a meal inside the Schwarzman Center, that’s still what I’m looking forward to.”
Ross’ wish will likely come true next semester. The Schwarzman Center is set to debut its in-person facilities, which include a new dining hall, a dance studio, galleries, study spots and a bar.
Both of these projects are promising signs for the future of the arts at Yale. The Schwarzman Center will allow for student productions and social exchanges in new, expansive spaces, and the renovation of the Humanities Quadrangle will provide more academic resources with its improved classroom spaces for students and instructors alike.
“I really think it’s a success,” Christopher Schuwey, assistant professor in the French Department, said of the Humanities Quadrangle renovation. “Everybody that I talked to, including myself, is really happy with it. This will definitely foster conversation and collaboration.”
The Schwarzman Center and the Humanities Quadrangle are expected to operate in near-full capacity in the fall semester of 2021.