A final thesis project has been a cornerstone of architectural education at MIT since its inception in the 1860s, providing students with the opportunity to synthesize their coursework and develop original designs. The Student Thesis Drawings Collection offers a compelling chronological perspective on architectural trends, evolving design philosophies, and broader cultural influences. For example, during Desiré Despradelle’s tenure around the turn of the century, a strong Beaux-Arts emphasis on rendering is evident in student thesis work. By the 1940s, thesis drawings reflect a shift towards international modernism, while those from the later 1960s reveal an interest in megastructures, modularity, and systems-based design. The building types chosen also mirror shifting societal priorities and preoccupations and reveal new areas of architectural exploration, such as movie theaters, airplane production plants, and highway motels.

The Student Thesis Drawings Collection provides rare insights into the formative years of many renowned architects and designers, including Sophia Hayden (1890), Robert Robinson Taylor (1892), Guy Lowell (1894), Marion Mahoney Griffin (1894), Raymond Hood (1903), William Perry (1907), John Taylor Arms (1911), Louis Skidmore (1923), Robert Dean (1926), Gordon Bunshaft (1933), Harry Weese (1938), I. M. Pei (1940), and Nicholas Negroponte (1966).

In addition to their drawings, students produced written theses to further elaborate and defend their designs. The written theses are in the collection of the Institute Archives, MIT Department of Distinctive Collections. Where known, a link to the library catalog record for the written thesis can be found in the “additional information” field for each drawing record.

Title: Student Thesis Drawings Collection

Creators: Various

Dates: 1873–1968

Extent: approximately 8,500 drawings

Language: English

Repository: MIT Museum

Reference code: T

Access: Online and by appointment

Credit: Student Thesis Drawings Collection, MIT Museum