Mather House

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Mather residents will be the first to tell you that the best thing about living in Mather is that you don't have to look at it. Inside the Brutal exterior, Matherites enjoy some of the nicest spaces on the river: singles all three years, a cozy dining hall with a river view, and spacious common spaces, among other top-notch amenities. Once you're in Mather, most say, you won't want to leave. The trouble is getting there in the first place. For all of the House's benefits, location is not one of them.

House Spirit: Mather residents say their House lacks the spirit it was once famous for. With a HoCo that is a bit insular and relatively few House events, residents say their love House spirit comes more from their group of friends than the community as a whole. Still, Mather has a handful of big-ticket events. The most (in)famous of these is Mather Lather, the soapy rite of spring that takes place each year. Mather also has an ongoing series of intrahouse competitions called the Louie Cup, named after neighboring Louie's Superette.

Housing Quality: Housing is Mather's best feature. It is the only House where everyone—actually everyone—is guaranteed a single. Most sophomores live in the House's low-rise building, where split-level suites are the norm, while juniors and seniors tend to gravitate to Mather Tower, which boasts 18 floors of huge stand-alone singles.

Students looking for the classic Harvard experience will not find it here. Mather's rooms are a pastiche of concrete, carpet, and other mysterious composite materials. Dark hallways, especially in the House's low-rise wings, can be depressing and overrun with lost fêtards on a Friday night, but residents say huge windows and pest-free rooms more than make up for fluorescent entryways. Though their rooms are less conducive to partying, residents living in the Tower enjoy some of the best views in the area, along with the benefit of a space all their own.

Dining Hall: Mather dining hall is famous for its beautiful view of the Charles. Dinner at sunset is a unique treat for those who trek this far from the Yard. That said, most people eating in Mather on any given day are likely residents. The insularity makes for a warm and friendly dining experience, while ensuring that Mather regulars have plenty of space to spread out. Though the food is average, the kitchen is spacious, and the HUDS staff are accommodating.

Facilities: Built of reddish and grey concrete in the late 1960s and opened in 1970, Mather is no one's image of Harvard. But what it lacks in red brick and white paint it more than makes up for with huge amounts of common space. The gym and library are both among the biggest on the river. For study breaks, typical Junior and Senior Common Rooms are supplemented by a dedicated television room, pool tables, and ping pong tables. If couches and lounge chairs scattered around the House aren't enough for the weary, Mather has a Tranquility Room described on the House's website as "designed to imbue visitors with the sense of peace its name evokes."

Though Mather was historically a jock House, today it is home to some of the best art spaces on campus, with several music practice rooms, a pottery studio, a woodturning studio, and a multimedia room. The Three Columns Gallery between the dining hall and library features student art year round.

House Masters: Mather residents say they have little attachment to their masters, Christie A. McDonald and Michael D. Rosengarten. But McDonald, a professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Literature, and Rosengarten, an adjunct professor of Medicine at McGill University, have done a lot to reinvigorate the House's art scene and senior common room in the last few years.

Extra: Mather's biggest drawback is its location. At a brisk pace, the walk from the front gate to the Yard takes ten minutes. Residents will be quick to tell you that the Mather shuttle stop, proximity to Louie's convenience store, and adjacency to the river compensate for the House's distance from the Yard. You can be the judge.

Our rankings so far:

9. Mather

10. Leverett

11. Dunster

12. Currier

Disclaimer: Flyby's 2013 House Rankings, though unscientific, are based on careful research and review by the Flyby Staff. We encourage you to read the full posts—rather than the rankings alone—to learn more about each House. As difficult as it makes our jobs, thereis good to be found in every one of the twelve.