ACADEMIC DESIGN
Firm Overview & Clients DiMella Shaffer is an architectural design and planning firm. Since our founding in 1965, we have been known for creating innovative, inspiring designs for institutional, residential, and commercial clients. We are passionate about architecture and believe that buildings can positively influence our environment and the people who live in, work in, or simply experience them. At the same time, we recognize that architecture is a business and a craft, and that success is ultimately achieved through the right balance of both. As a result of our decades of experience serving higher education institutions, we truly understand the specialized budgeting, scheduling, and philosophical concerns of universities and colleges – from allocating limited funds to managing community relations. When developing new projects, we ensure that buildings promote innovation while being respectful of the school’s heritage. Our design evolves from the context and is not only responsive to specific programmatic issues, but mindful to the concerns affecting the overall campus. We believe in designing buildings that contribute to student life and enhance the campus environment.
Representative Clients: Boston College Brandeis University Bridgewater State University Cape Cod Community College The Culinary Institute of America Fitchburg State University Framingham State College Harvard University Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Lesley University Longy School of Music Massachusetts State College Building Authority Middlesex Community College New England College of Optometry New England Eye Institute New Hampshire College Northeastern University North Shore Community College Salem State University Simmons College St. John Fisher College Tufts University State University of New York - New Paltz Campus University at Albany - SUNY University of Hartford University of New Hampshire Westfield State University Wheelock College Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Tufts University, Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center, Medford, MA This design-build project is an expansion and modernization of the outdated fitness facilities on campus. The new Sports and Fitness Center provides state-of-the-art facilities for its students, and also serves as a new gateway into the Tufts campus along College Avenue. The main design challenge of the new building was the site constraints, as this new expansion needed to nestle itself among the three existing buildings. The new building consolidates the many access points into the current fitness facilities, though one main accessible entry point. The entrance features a 3-story atrium space, from which visitors can distribute themselves to the adjacent facilities. The glass and pre-patinated copper faรงade breaks from the typical New England georgian architecture, introducing a unique modern expression that provides Tufts with an iconic building for its Athletic department. The Sports and Fitness Center provides 42,000 sf of varsity team lockers, a brand new state-of-the-art student fitness center, sports medicine, multipurpose rooms, classroom/conferencing, as well as a new consolidated coaches suite with offices and support space.
Fitness Center Project Details Finish date: 2012 Estimated cost: $13,500,000 Square feet: 42,000 Design Team: Ed Hodges, Principal-in-Charge Don Klema, Project Manager Steve Keyser, Project Designer Frank Valdes, Project Architect Stanmar, Design Builder Reference: Mr. Dick Reynolds Vice President of Operations (617) 627-3334
Fitchburg State University, Hammond Campus Center and Library Additions, Fitchburg, MA The DiMellaShaffer/Lee Kennedy design and construction team proposed the concept of creating a new exterior entrance on the southwest facade of the building which would be at the base of a projecting six-story addition which would serve as a vertical marker as one approaches the campus from the south. The new addition would be largely transparent and programmed for public study lounges or meeting rooms so that the activity inside the building can be seen from North and Pearl Streets. The existing grade along North Street would be excavated so that a level exterior plaza is created to facilitate an accessible entrance into the building and will allow for full-height glazing at the exterior north street elevation where the commuter cafĂŠ currently exists. In addition, exterior seating could be provided to extend the cafĂŠ and study areas from inside the building out toward North Street. On the interior of the building, a new atrium space would be created by removing the existing main public stair along with selected areas of existing floor slabs. This atrium will provide a visual connection from the new exterior entrance on the basement level up to the first floor level and exterior quadrangle. A new stair would be located near the new entrance and will provide a clear direct path from the basement floor to the ground and first floor. A new elevator would be provided just beyond the stair and would provide access to all six levels. This new elevator would then allow the existing elevator to serve as a secure elevator dedicated for library use only. The new elevator will provide a direct, easily identifiable route to the third floor student support services. This entrance design achieved the primary project goals and became the basis upon which the building master plan was developed. Working around the new atrium and elevator, space program test-fits were laid-out and reviewed by the project team as well as the building users. In addition to the atrium, key components of the master plan include the creation of a central third floor lobby near the new elevator entrance, around which most of the student support services are located. By relocating existing program space on different floor levels, the library can expand its first floor computer area and will be provided acoustic separation from the student center lobby. The bookstore is moved to the basement opposite food service, and the servery is provided with a coffee serving space. The pub is reconfigured and expanded. The ground floor becomes the home for student development, student government and student academic life. The first floor student event space can function better because the student lounge activity will be permanently set up in the new atrium and tower, making function setup less disruptive. The second floor mezzanine will serve largely as conference rooms, meeting rooms and a building-wide staff lounge.
Campus Center Project Details Finish date: Summer 2012 Final construction cost: $16,000,000 Phase 1 $3,000,000 Phase 2 Square feet: 40,000 sf - Phase 1 9,000 sf - Phase 2 Design team: Ed Hodges, Principal-in-Charge Alex Adkins, Project Manager Bruce Harvey, Sarah O’Keefe, Project Designers Reference: Jay Bry Chief Operating Officer, Administrative Services Fitchburg State University (978) 665-3131
Salem State University, Salem, MA To meet the Housing targets established for incoming undergraduate students Salem State University needed a new residence hall and associated common areas built on their campus by September 2010. To best meet their delivery schedule and budget, DiMella Shaffer teamed with Walsh Brothers for construction management services. First, the team identified and recommended a viable site for the new construction after analyzing numerous potential sites on the campus. Now that the site has been selected and approved, design services have begun. The new residence hall contains 525 beds, composed in a Z-shaped building that defines a courtyard with the existing upperclassman residence hall. A one-story dining hall is located off the north wing, projecting into the Central Campus Quad. The first floor of the north building contains a conference center and lobby with a coffee bar, functions that help to foster student activity and to enhance the marketability of the facility for outside groups. The public functions are located on the first floor of the north building, oriented towards the Bertolon School of Business and a future linkage to North Campus. The scale of the building is broken down into residential “houses” or pods, each pod is composed of 27 students, 26 in doubles and one in a single or RA unit, a grouping that was deemed favorable for social interaction for sophomore students. Each pod floor contains a communal living room designed to foster socialization of the larger group. Bathrooms are broken down into groupings of approximately nine students each – another means taken to increase personalization and encourage graduated independence in large residence halls. The “houses” are linked together by common stairs and corridors, forming an z-shaped building that completes the Central Campus Quad. To socially and visually link these various pods, a main elevator and stair lobby is located at the western edge of the site facing Loring Avenue. Like the historic village of Salem and its individual houses linked by streets, each floor has a “common” area for all residents that contains a floor kitchen and floor lounge.
Residence Hall Design Project Details Finish date: September 2010 Final construction cost: $52,000,000 Square feet: 158,000 LEED aspects: LEED Gold Certification Design team: Ed Hodges, Principal-in-Charge/Project Director Don Klema, Project Manager/Project Designer Aaron Malnarick, Project Architect Reference: James Stoll Salem State University (978) 542-6401
Harvard University, Chronkhite Hall, Cambridge, MA The Cronkhite Graduate Center is an approximately 75,000 GSF mixed use building constructed in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The building has three stories above grade with a full basement and construction is a mix of concrete, CMU, and brick. The building’s current and proposed future use if that of a graduate student dormitory style residence with a dining hall, full service commercial kitchen , and basement / first floor tenant office space (FAS). The renovations accommodate 120 beds located on the second and third floors, including a third floor apartment. The dorm rooms were reorganized to eliminate suites and replace them with single occupancy rooms. This creates more space for common areas such as the kitchens, lounges, and bathrooms. The new kitchens are located in each wing on both residential floors to provide residents the facilities for meal preparation when the commercial kitchen and servery are closed. The lounges are intended to provide a casual gathering space. The dining hall, kitchen, and servery are programmed to accommodate the building residents, retail customers, as well as provide catering services elsewhere on campus. The kitchen and some back of house areas were reorganized to create a more efficient work space and bring several outdated areas up to code. The servery will be relocated and consolidated to facilitate access control and provide more seating in the dining room. A new connecting stair will be added adjacent to the dining room so that residents will have access to the common areas located in the basement. Other first floor areas to be renovated include two offices, toilet rooms, the mail room, and the entry /corridor.
Residence Hall Renovation Project Details Finish date: 2013 Final construction cost: $10 M Square feet: 48,000 Design team: Randy Kreie, David Godfroy, Diana Linsenmayer, Natasha Marcuard, Kathy LaDuca Reference: Chris Packard Northstar Project & Real Estate Services 617 320 7234
North Shore Community College, Health Professions/Student Services Building, Danvers, MA In addition to pursuing a LEED Gold rating – the health professions building has the distinction of being selected by the state as one of only three demonstration projects for its Zero Net Energy Building (ZNEB) program. The design team carefully studied the effects of building orientation, façade design, program layout, and numerous mechanical systems on the building’s energy demands. In order to fully balance energy consumption with generation, a comprehensive design strategy incorporates the following: energy generation from wind turbines and photovoltaic (PV) cells on the roof; fenestration regulated by sun-shades and light shelves; a coordinated mechanical system that includes geothermal wells, chilled beams, radiant floors and natural ventilation; low energy strategies that include maximized natural lighting via light wells and monitors, LED lighting and occupancy sensors throughout; site features that include bio-swales; rain gardens; and a demonstration green roof. The Health Professions Building on the Danvers Campus of North Shore Community College was designed to be a new 60,000 SF integrated facility, consolidating for the first time all of the College’s health-related professional programs and providing the College with updated teaching laboratories and general-purpose classrooms. This is the second project the firm has designed for the College: the adjacent Berry Building was completed in 2003.
Leed Certified Academic Institution Project Details Finish date: 2011 Final cost: $24,381,500 Square feet: 60,000 Design Team: Peter Shaffer, Principal-in-Charge Peter Fourtounis, Project Manager Jovi Cruces, Natasha Marcourd, Steve Keyser, Project Designers LEED aspects: Zero-net energy, LEED Gold Reference: Dr. Wayne Burton, President North Shore Community College (978) 762-4000
Salem State University, Salem State Fitness and Recreation Center, Salem, MA The project consists of approximately 39,000 square feet of space with the major program elements comprising a 7,800 square foot fitness center with associated support spaces and locker rooms on the ground floor, a two court intramural gym of 13,600 SF on the second floor, a new entrance lobby atrium space for the whole O’Keefe Center complex and two studio spaces inserted into a portion of the existing apparatus gym by adding a floor constituting approximately 6800 SF of renovated space.
Fitness Center Design Project Details Estimated finish date: Summer 2013 Estimated final construction cost: $11,900,000 Square feet: 38,063 sf - Addition 7,584 sf - Renovation Design team: Ed Hodges, Principal-in-Charge/Project Director Don Klema, Project Manager/Project Designer Reference: James Stoll Salem State University (978) 542-6401
Boston 281 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210
Seattle 1511 Third Avenue, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98101
Tel 617.426.5004 Fax 617.426.0046
Tel 206.686.0170 Fax 206.686.0171
www.dimellashaffer.com