Frequently lampooned: Harvard's Lampoon Castle

 

Cartoonish round-tower of  Harvard's beloved Lampoon Castle (End of January 2021)

Standing my first time in front of the Lampoon Castle, as the Harvard Lampoon Building is often called, I had to smile. Architectural design and humor are not often played out together. Once I learned that Edmund March Wheelwright (1854-1912) was the architect, who also oversaw the construction, I wasn't surprised anymore: Wheelright cofounded the The Harvard Lampoon in the 1870s, a humor magazine filled with satire, parody and cartoons.

Since its opening days in 1909, the charming building between Harvard's Bow Street and Mt Auburn Street has been criticized or made fun of by some. Of course, housing a publisher who mocks everything invites re-mocking. But playful architecture—like printed mockery—lifts our spirits. Don't we need more buildings making us smile? Imagine even a post-pandemic time without face coverings and spreading smiles!

On March 30, 1978, the Harvard Lampoon Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

 

References and more to explore

[1] Edmund March Wheelwright and the Harvard Lampoon Castle. Albert • Right • Tittmann - Architects. Link & Video: https://www.artarchitects.com/news/edmund-march-wheelwright-and-the-harvard-lampoon-castle/.

[2] David Brussat. No lampooning Lampoon Castle. Architecture Here and There, 2/8/2014. Link: https://architecturehereandthere.com/2014/02/08/no-lampooning-lampoon-castle/.

[3] M. R. Baker. What's the Story Behind the Harvard Lampoon Building. Boston magazine, 5/7/2017. Link: https://www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2017/05/07/harvard-lampoon-building/.

[4] National Register of Historic Places listings in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Cambridge,_Massachusetts.