History and Renovations

In 1965, Radcliffe College constructed the Hilles Library, designed by Harrison & Abromowitz.. The Bauhaus aesthetic of the building, constructed of concrete and glass, makes it a stark, bold sentinel guarding the entry to what is now Harvard University 's northernmost residential campus. When the Harvard College Library consolidated its holdings and decreased duplicate reserves, the upper three floors of Hilles became available for alternate programming. In 2003, the College and Student Activities Office began to conceive its use for extracurricular student activity, and through extensive committee work involving students, faculty, and staff prioritized the need for student activities and organization space. Thus, planning for today's Student Organization Center at Hilles (SOCH) was launched in 2005, with Kennedy & Violitch Architecture, Ltd. selected for the project.

Today's SOCH offers 40,000 square feet of renovated space, including 58 offices, multiple collaborative zones featuring extensive office technology, eight conference rooms or larger meeting spaces, performance space and recording studios, and a coffee bar.