“By sparking creative interaction, this strikingly reimagined space will build community while advancing the department’s mission to foster groundbreaking teaching and research.”

Pierre Lermusiaux
Nam Pyo Suh Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Ocean Science and Engineering;
Associate Department Head for Research and Operations

The Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) has long been a magnet for innovative thinkers and doers seeking to answer society’s most significant questions. Now, MIT is expanding the capacity of the department to address the challenges of our time.

The MechE Rooftop Commons will soon rise from the heart of campus through an extensive renovation of the pyramid-like ziggurat at the intersection of Buildings 1 and 3 enhanced by the construction of a sweeping new structure across the rooftop of Building 1.

Fostering a sense of community, the Rooftop Commons will be a warm and welcoming destination. A light-filled atrium, with thoughtfully designed nooks, will encourage impromptu conversations and nurture connectedness.

The terrace for outdoor gatherings will offer magnificent views of the Charles River campus and Boston skyline. (The current rendering is subject to change.)

The interior will provide a welcoming assembly space that can be reconfigured as needed for teaching, meetings, or collaborative research.

The Rooftop Commons will nourish collaborative endeavors—becoming a place where bright people, unconventional ideas, and bold solutions collide together in new and interesting ways.

The Rooftop Commons will nourish collaborative endeavors, foster a culture of creativity and innovation, and act as a centralized home for MechE’s faculty, students, and staff.