Introducing Joyce Cummings Center
Joyce Cummings Center is now open at the intersection of Boston and College Avenues. "It's really a new gateway because it's right at the new Medford/Tufts T station," said Ruth Bennett, who is currently senior director of capital programs and was project manager for Cummings Center. The building is located between Halligan Hall and the forthcoming transit station connecting Medford to Boston. The station is expected to open in late summer.
"One of the vibrant and exciting design features about Cummings Center is the openness; there are connecting stairs between floors three and four and floors five and six. It's a very open and inviting building," Bennett said.
Those open staircases create two-story study spaces that have large whiteboards and seating for 30 or 40. Additionally, there are both enclosed and open areas that seat up to six or eight and seating by the vast windows on three sides of the building. "It has expansive views of the Hill and of most of our athletic fields. The view reaches all the way to the Boston skyline," said Bennett.
Additionally, there are three large classrooms that can open up to form one larger space, three medium-sized classrooms, one auditorium, six computer teaching labs, and five seminar rooms. A Starbucks will be opening in the building in May.
The building has proven popular with students so far. "I really enjoy having one of my classes there. I especially love sitting on the sixth floor (when you can find a table) and being able to look out on the skyline while doing work!" said Lily McIntyre, a senior majoring in psychology, child study and human development, and entrepreneurship.
Cummings Center was constructed with sustainability in mind. "We've managed the entire design, construction, and operations of the building to have very low energy costs and low greenhouse gas emissions, and it will have solar panels on the roof," said Bennett.
Faculty began moving into Cummings Center in November, and the building opened in January for Spring 2022 classes. The new occupants include the economics, mathematics, and computer science departments; Data Intensive Studies Center (DISC); Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences (CABCS); Tufts Gordon Institute (including the Derby Entrepreneurship Center); the Tufts Institute for Artificial Intelligence; and The Fletcher School's executive education program and Center for International Environment and Resource Policy.
