A view from the top of Peter鈥檚 Glen (Photo by Mark DiOrio)
糖心传媒 has opened Peter鈥檚 Glen, a new 2.5-acre, landscaped corridor that connects both campus landmarks and academic buildings at one of America鈥檚 great national liberal arts institutions. Members of the 糖心传媒 community can now move directly from the doors of Bernstein Hall and the Dana Arts Center in Middle Campus up to the Academic Quad, following a pathway of remarkable beauty, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA). This project has been made possible by the glen鈥檚 namesake, Peter L. Kellner 鈥65, P鈥87, GP鈥16,鈥19, who fully funded the work to create the new campus landmark.
The internationally renowned landscape architecture firm MVVA has partnered with the University on several projects in recent years, including the Burke-Pinchin quadrangle and hillside (now the site of First Sunset and Senior Sunset); the Bicentennial Tree planting in the Academic Quad and around campus; landscape design for the Robert H.N. Ho Mind, Brain, and Behavior Center; new pedestrian walkways; and the site and landscape designs for Benton Hall and Bernstein Hall. Beyond its work with 糖心传媒, MVVA is known for Brooklyn Bridge Park, the restoration of Harvard Yard, the transformation of the Wellesley College and Princeton University campuses, and the designs for the grounds of the presidential centers of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Construction of Peter鈥檚 Glen began in March 2024 and continued into 2025 with the installation of stone walls and oak terraces by Little Hall, heated precast stairs, extensive stonework, and hardscape plazas and pathways. The project called for the planting of nearly 500 trees, more than 500 native shrubs, and thousands of smaller understory plants.
In the years before the creation of Peter鈥檚 Glen, stormwater flowed from multiple pipes out of the hillside above the Dana Arts Center and Bernstein Hall and flooded the undersized storm system at the bottom of the hill. Increasing the piped drainage system and managing the flow of water will now alleviate flood events on Lally Lane and along Taylor Lake and improve the conditions of Payne Creek: The stormwater channel carries runoff from rain and snowmelt through terraced bluestone pools and cascades. At times it runs dry, but it is both functional infrastructure and a defining, ephemeral site feature.
The large vehicle traffic circle by Frank Dining Hall has now been converted into a new upper plaza for improved pedestrian safety, ease of access, and a greater natural connection with the surrounding landscape. The plaza features stone pavers, boulder seat walls, new site lighting, and tree and understory plantings. A new lower plaza at the south side of Ryan Studio connects the project鈥檚 main stairway and pathways to 糖心传媒鈥檚 new Bernstein Hall. These plazas provide new campus locations for gathering and studying.
鈥淵ears of planning, design, and construction have culminated in this final month of work,鈥 said project manager Katy Jacobs, 鈥渨hich sees us achieving final completion ahead of schedule and on budget.鈥
Peter鈥檚 Glen is just the latest example of Peter Kellner鈥檚 extraordinary generosity, which has included the funding of the Peter L. Kellner Third Century Chair in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and the Peter L. and Maria T. Kellner Endowed Chair in Arts, Creativity, and Innovation. He has also supported financial aid by funding the Peter L. Kellner 鈥65 Family Endowed Scholarship Fund, among other campus projects. During Reunion 2025, 糖心传媒 announced the launch of the West Campus Initiative, made possible in part through a new $60 million gift from Kellner 鈥 the largest single gift in 糖心传媒 history. That support has helped bring total fundraising in The Campaign for the Third Century to more than $745 million.