The market need for housing and community focused retail spaces are met with public open space that is inclusive and mindful of providing quality amounts of natural light and air.

The design challenge is that the site is located to the immediate south of Eliot Norton Park and the initial massing dictated by the client’s needs and FAR requirements, would have blocked natural light for a large portion of the park. This particular constraint was opportunistically taken on as a chance to study sun path diagrams and use natural light as a sculpting element. The result is a final form which provides an iconic visual appearance from all sides of the building, and allows natural light to flood across the site in all seasons.

The building’s opening, or “mouth”, allows for a natural extension of one of the park’s alleys into the elevated public plaza and café, providing people with an elevated view of the surrounding neighborhood.

Due to the limited building footprint, the envelope was beveled to create additional sloped surface areas for solar PV panels, awnings and glass. Almost 60% of energy is generated on site and the remainder is purchased through Green Certified off-site renewable energy sources in order to achieve Net Zero Energy (NZEB:D) as defined by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

The project also adapts the entry of an adjacent abandoned MBTA station and tunnel into a new public way and indoor park space that will provide access from park to the Boston Common.

The project is a flagship mixed-use building and a new standard for sustainability, and work life balance in alignment with the WELL Gold certification program.

Credits: - StudioNYL - Structural Engineer - Chris O'Hara