MIT Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

MIT's Building 20: The Magical Incubator Story, Anecdote, or Reminiscence

Old But Creative Space

John W. Severinghaus
jws@itsa.ucsf.edu

I worked in Bldg 20 on radar test equipment in 1943-45, then when the bomb dropped on August 6 I decided on medical research which is still my game here at UCSF at age 75.

Julius Comroe who founded the Cardiovascular Research Institute of UCSF in 1958 told the story of the 3 phases of an investigator's life, which dealt with old treasured and adaptable space like Bldg 20.

Phase I: Young investigator is given useless old basement space, free to do with it anything he wants. He does marvelous, creative, important research, publishes it, astonishes all his elders, gets famous. The big wheels realize his talent and offer him an institute, new shiny space.

Phase II: For the next 5 years, he designs the space, works with contractors, argues about location of tables and sinks, and eventually moves in.

Phase III: The rest of his life he shows visitors thru.

Pity such a useful much loved, adaptable, inexpensive space where walls are not sacred, has to go. Good bye, 20.