Majestically, Gasson Hall rises before us. Gasson Hall stands as a testament to Collegiate Gothic architecture. It graces the campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Let’s uncover the story of this iconic building.
Gasson Hall’s story begins with Father Thomas I. Gasson. He was Boston College’s 13th president. He envisioned a world-renowned university. He sought to create a beacon of Jesuit education. The South End campus felt cramped to him. In 1907, he purchased the Lawrence farm in Chestnut Hill.
Father Gasson organized an international competition. Architects vied to design the new campus master plan. Charles Donagh Maginnis won in 1909. His vision was an “Oxford in America.” Thus, construction of Gasson Hall began.
Maginnis’ design broke from tradition. He moved away from Oxbridge models. Gasson Hall’s tower was not just a belfry. It became the campanile of a “city upon a hill.”
Gasson Hall significantly influenced American university campuses. Its design inspired Gothic towers at Princeton, Yale, and Duke. Ralph Adams Cram, a Gothicist, praised its design. This helped establish Collegiate Gothic as a prevailing style.
Gasson Hall blends Gothic and Beaux-Arts styles. The design features a cruciform plan. It evokes an outdoor cathedral. The entry drive forms the “nave.” Quadrangles mark the “apse” and “transepts.” Maginnis placed Gasson Hall at the “crossing.”
Originally called “Recitation Hall,” it became known as the “Tower Building.” It opened in 1913. The 200-foot bell tower dominates the Chestnut Hill landscape. Stone quarried from the site was used for construction.
Inside Gasson Hall, the rotunda holds treasures. A marble sculpture depicts Saint Michael defeating Satan. Gardner Brewer commissioned it in 1865. Julius and Henry Koopman later purchased it. An anonymous donor gifted it to Boston College. Francis C. Schroen, a Jesuit brother, created murals for the rotunda.
Over time, Gasson Hall faced weathering. A major renovation became necessary. Nearly every stone needed analysis and documentation. Crews replaced about 99% of the decorative cast stones.
The renovation started with the bell tower. Each spire was removed by crane. Masons used the original spires to create molds. They then cast new stone spires. Work on the bell tower finished in 2008. The entire renovation ended by September 2011.
Today, Gasson Hall houses classrooms and administrative offices. The ground floor features an assembly hall. Its tower serves as a clock tower and belfry. Gasson Hall remains a focal point of Boston College. It embodies the university’s rich history. It exemplifies architectural innovation. Its presence inspires all who pass through its halls.