Historical Commission denies Fivesparks sculpture application
Harvard Historical Commission denied Fivesparks' application to install three contemporary sculptures at the Old Library. Co-Chairs Rebecca Sewall and Mike Ewing opposed the proposal, citing the sculptures' materials, scale, and visual character as inappropriate for the historic site.
Historical Commission · Meeting of September 2, 2026
Harvard Historical Commission denied Fivesparks' application to install three contemporary sculptures at the Old Library. Co-Chairs Rebecca Sewall and Mike Ewing opposed the proposal, citing the sculptures' materials, scale, and visual character as inappropriate for the historic site. The commission voted 4-1 to deny, with Alice Miles as the sole dissenter, after public testimony divided between supporters arguing contemporary and historic design can coexist and opponents citing the sculptures' scale and neighborhood impacts.
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Source: the Historical Commission meeting of September 2, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
Checked against the official minutes.
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