Gasson Hall
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Gasson Hall is a building on the campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Designed by Charles Donagh Maginnis in 1908, the hall has influenced the development of Collegiate Gothic architecture in North America. Gasson Hall is named after the 13th president of Boston College, Thomas I. Gasson, S.J., considered BC's "second founder."
History
In 1907, newly installed Boston College President
Architectural description
Gasson Hall is a seminal example of Collegiate Gothic architecture in North America. Publication of its design in 1909—and praise from influential American
, 1930–1935).Combining the
Maginnis' design broke from the traditional
Rotunda decorations
At the center of the rotunda is a marble sculpture by Scipione Tadolini representing Saint Michael defeating Satan. It was commissioned by Gardner Brewer, a Boston merchant, in 1865. After Brewer's death, the sculpture was purchased by Boston art dealers Julius and Henry Koopman. An anonymous donor then purchased it for Boston College, and it was placed in Gasson Hall in 1913.[2]: 2–4 The rotunda also features murals by Francis C. Schroen, an artist and Jesuit brother.[2]: 18
Renovation
Gasson Hall has been subject to major exterior renovations. The building's stone elements had been heavily weathered since the hall’s opening in 1913. Nearly every stone on the building had to be analyzed and documented for replacement. It was concluded that construction crews must replace nearly 99% of the building's decorative cast stones. The renovation consisted of several phases, the first focusing mainly on the building's 200 foot tall bell tower.
Crews attempted to replicate Gasson's Collegiate Gothic architecture by meticulously removing each of the cast stones and replacing them with exact replicas. Each of the tower's four prominent spires was removed via crane and shipped to a masonry company. The original spires were used to form molds. These molds were then used to create new stone spires, which could be attached to the building.[3]
Work on the bell tower was completed in autumn 2008.
Work on the rest of the building was completed by September 2011.[4]
See also
- Collegiate Gothic
- Gothic revival architecture
References
- ^ Donovan, Charles F. (1990). History of Boston College: from the beginning to 1990. Chestnut Hill, Mass.: University Press of Boston College. pp. 114–122. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ a b Donovan, Charles (1992). Gasson's Rotunda: Gallery of Art, History, and Religion. Boston College.
- ^ "Bells toll on Gasson Tower as work begins". The Heights. 2007-04-26. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.
- ^ "Gasson Hall: Back in Style". The Boston College Chronicle. 2011-09-08.