New Construction & Renovations

Dumbarton Oaks is a research institute, library, and museum administered by Harvard University, located within a historic estate in Washington, DC’s Georgetown neighborhood. Centered on a Federal-style house dating to the early 19th century and surrounded by more than 50 acres of renowned gardens, the institution supports advanced scholarship, exhibitions, lectures, concerts, and public programs.

The site houses internationally significant collections of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art; European artwork and antique furnishings; and a research library containing more than 200,000 books, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and rare materials. These diverse uses require building systems that perform quietly and reliably while preserving the character of the historic architecture and landscape.

Targeted Upgrades Within a Living Historic Estate

Since 2014, Mueller Associates has completed numerous improvement projects throughout the Dumbarton Oaks estate, supporting both the Main House and ancillary buildings. Working alongside leading preservation architects, Mueller has delivered a series of small but impactful upgrades designed to enhance comfort, functionality, and collections care while minimizing disruption to ongoing scholarly activity.

Projects have included facility condition assessments; gallery and exterior lighting upgrades; improvements to the pool and pool house; greenhouse renovations; and modifications to support year-round use of historic spaces. Mueller also completed an energy study for the central cooling and heating plant, informing long-term planning for efficient and resilient infrastructure.

Quiet Performance for Scholarship, Study, and the Arts

Within the Reading Room and Main House, Mueller designed lighting and electrical upgrades that support extended study and research while respecting historic finishes. Improvements included adding task lighting for scholars, carefully relocating and refurbishing existing chandeliers, installing new adjustable LED recessed downlights, and installing dimming systems to optimize daylight harvesting.

In the historic Music Room, system modifications were designed to reduce air noise during performances, supporting concerts and lectures without compromising acoustics. Additional work at the Fellowship House included upgrades to the geothermal system, including the addition of a dry cooler, enhancing system performance and aligning with Harvard’s long-term sustainability goals.

Farrand House: Expanding Education, Arts, and Public Humanities

Dumbarton Oaks is embarking on the construction of Farrand House, a new facility that will support the expansion of the institution’s K–12 education, arts, digital initiatives, and community-focused programming. The approximately 2,000-square-foot building will provide dedicated classroom space for experiential, collections-based K–12 programs serving under-resourced schools and underserved communities throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

Designed by Selldorf Architects, Farrand House continues a long tradition of architectural excellence at Dumbarton Oaks while thoughtfully reshaping a back-of-house area of the west campus. The project aligns the new programmatic space with the character and spirit of the surrounding historic architecture and landscape.

In addition to classrooms, Farrand House will include a studio for a visual artist-in-residence—complementing the institution’s existing musician residency—and spaces that support innovative research and public humanities initiatives through digital sharing of collections. Rooted in the founders’ vision of Dumbarton Oaks as a “home of the humanities,” the new building will help inspire future scholars and audiences while expanding access to the institution’s resources, programs, and collections.

Engineering That Preserves an Intimate Environment

Across all projects, Mueller’s approach has emphasized restraint, coordination, and long-term value, delivering engineering solutions that are invisible primarily to scholars and visitors. By balancing cost-effective upgrades with preservation priorities, Mueller has helped Dumbarton Oaks maintain the quiet, intimate environment essential to research, reflection, and cultural engagement, while safeguarding its collections and historic fabric for future generations.

Learn more about Mueller’s work at Dumbarton Oaks in our newsletter Momentum.