As the pressure from academic coursework and exams mounts, students can find solace in The Haven, a social space and public lounge in Room 100 of Haydn Hall. The room itself, serving as a primary student-centered space in Mather Quad, offers several lounge chairs, a sofa, a piano and multiple tables and chairs for both relaxing and studying.

Named after former President and faculty member Hiram C. Haydn, Haydn Hall was funded and constructed in 1902 by Flora Stone Mather. In 1901, Hiram C. Haydn served as president of Western Reserve University, and previously served as the pastor of the Mather family at the Old Stone Church in 1888.

This space was initially intended to serve as a recreational and study facility for Western Reserve University students. Haydn Hall had eventually expanded its operation from being the only student center on campus to becoming a dormitory for the Flora Stone Mather College, Western Reserve University’s women’s undergraduate college, eventually standing alongside Harkness Chapel, Clark Hall, Mather Memorial Building, Mather Dance Center and Guilford House.

David J. Rothenberg, professor and chair of the Department of Music, noted the nomenclature of this new student space as a direct acknowledgment of the building’s extensive history. The first floor of Haydn, specifically, had been a social hall endearingly known as The Haven when it was a part of the Mather College for Women.

The building itself is used primarily by the Department of Music, with four practice rooms on the second floor and multiple classrooms spread throughout the building. The Haven is available for reservation for special events. It may be used after-hours for rehearsals, music lessons or practice by students studying music. Regular operating hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; card access is required for weekends and after-hours. This access is automatically granted to CWRU music faculty and music students, but access may be requested from the Department of Music.

The rustic building also offers The Core Computer Lab, located in Room 16 of Haydn Hall. Intended to function as a collaborative laboratory for the audial and visual mediums, all CWRU students, faculty, staff and the University Circle community are free to utilize this space to curate their creative visions. This computer lab offers access to computers, software, cameras and microphones.

Aside from Haydn’s many other creative facilities, Dr. Rothenberg enthusiastically expressed his vision for The Haven: “We want it to be a social space for the Department of Music but also for anyone else who spends time on the Mather Quad, where there aren’t many social spaces. The room is open to the public during business hours, and we encourage anyone to stop by and enjoy it. You can socialize, study, eat, or just relax.”