ISSUE 3: 2014
now+next Reviving A Gateway City: Voke Lofts Referred to by locals as “The Voke,” Worcester Vocational High School, once bustling with students studying trades such as machinery, electric work, painting and drafting, has been artfully transformed into mixed-income multifamily housing. Originally founded in 1909 to house the Worcester Boys’ Trade School, the historic school was shuttered after it could no longer be adapted to serve its original purpose. The 116,306 square-foot preserved building, Voke Lofts, ignites vitality into the neighborhood, mitigating years of squatting, vandalism, and urban decay.
Countdown to 2015 Starting from scratch is a leap of faith. No one really thinks you are going to create a thriving, enduring business. And there is good reason for doubt—the odds are against it. Luck, timing, compassion, creativity, determination, endurance, talent and passion. They all play a role. The underpinning of the architectural world is about relationships. And for TAT, those relationships are the foundation of what we enjoy today. Developing a creative design solution, putting our clients’ aims first, loyalty, and making sure to mix business and pleasure is the way we do business. That’s how a client becomes a long-standing friend. We close 2014 with plenty to be grateful for—an extraordinarily talented team whose dedication, creativity, collaboration and innovation propel the firm into its 44th anniversary. Here’s my unconventional countdown to the New Year!
SQUARE FEET, THE SIZE OF THE SIBLEY MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
UNITS OF HOUSING DEVELOPED SINCE 1971
BUILT PROJECTS
HISTORIC ADAPTIVE REUSE DEVELOPMENTS
YEARS SINCE THE COMMANDANT’S HOUSE WAS BUILT
STORIES AT THE KENSINGTON
TAT TEAM MEMBERS PROJECTS COMPLETED IN GREATER BOSTON
DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARDS
YEARS IN THE MAKING, BAKER CHOCOLATE FACTORY COMPLEX
STATES IN WHICH TAT HAS COMPLETED WORK
NEW HIRES IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DESIGN STAFF IN 2014
Bob Verrier, FAIA, NCARB Co-Founder/Managing Principal (1971)
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON
COOP STUDENTS WE’VE EMPLOYED AT TAT
BAC DESIGN COMPETITION STUDIOS SPONSORED BY TAT
BOSTON WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENTS
THING MATTERS MOST: CULTIVATING LASTING RELATIONSHIPS
YEARS OF CREATIVELY SOLVING PROBLEMS & FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR CLIENTS
THE NUMBER OF YEARS FOR LOVEJOY & ARLINGTON 360 TO BECOME A REALITY
RECOGNITION Linwood Mill Apartments in Northbridge, MA, received the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association’s 2014 Judges’ Award for “Best Historic Mill”. The former historic cotton mill was converted into 75 units of affordable senior housing with ground level commercial space.
New townhome units at Bristol Commons are oriented around a central garden and playground, promoting an inclusive and supportive community. One acre of land on the property now serves as a community farm and resource. © Andy Ryan © Andy Ryan
Creating Community. Spearheaded by a public-private partnership between Taunton Housing Authority and Trinity Financial, Fairfax Gardens in Taunton, Mass., was funded in part by a Hope VI Grant—one of only six awarded in the country by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Renamed Bristol Commons/Lenox Green, the redevelopment offers 88 New England-style multifamily townhome and duplex units and an additional 72 townhome units on a separate lot purchased from the city. When it comes to the redevelopment of a distressed property, there are no quick fixes. Associate, Ed Bradford,
Arlington 360 in Arlington, MA, received the Multifamily Executive Magazine Awards for “Best Reuse of Land” and “Editors’ Choice”. Located on the former 18-acre Symmes Hospital campus, the site was redeveloped into a market-rate multifamily community offering 164 rental units and 12 for-sale townhomes.
AIA, LEED AP, explains the design considerations of transforming an obsolete public-housing development into a vibrant and environmentally sustainable neighborhood. What goals guided the redevelopment? Despite being located in the middle of a stable neighborhood, the original development was remarkably isolated. Repetitive barrack-style buildings arranged in haphazard configurations made the development instantly recognized as public housing; creating a strong edge between the site and the larger community. The blighted presence of the site was reinforced by the extremely deteriorated condition of the existing buildings, with aged systems, infrastructure and exceedingly high energy and water costs. A main goal for the redevelopment, therefore, was to create new physical and social connections to the broader neighborhood and to ‘soften’ the strong edge between the site and the broader community with new buildings that meet the highest standards for sustainable design and livability. What key factors were considered when creating the master plan? The master plan focused on creating pedestrianscaled streets that knit the development back into the surrounding community and providing the
foundation for a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. At the site entrance, a new community building is the focal point, offering after-school programs, daycare, and community space. A network of outdoor open spaces is highlighted by a central green and playground, promoting social connectedness. A community garden anchors the west end of the green. What are some important architectural features? The buildings are designed to complement the scale and architectural vernacular of the surrounding neighborhood. The range of building facades, rooflines and colors were purposefully integrated to express the individuality of each unit and prevent the uniformity that characterized the original development. Entry porches are an important feature, contributing to the neighborhood character and promoting a sense of public safety. High performance building envelopes, efficient mechanical systems and optimal building orientation result in extremely high energy-efficiency and low utility bills.
© Ed Wonsek
Residences at Wingate in Needham, MA, received an “Award for Excellence” from Senior Living by Design Magazine’s annual competition. The new 91 unit assisted living/independent living/memory care community is the second phase designed by TAT as part of the town’s “Senior Overlay District” that was created to provide an aging in place residential resource.
© Warren Jagger
Reviving A Gateway City: Voke Lofts
A Proud and Distinctive City Regains Its Prosperity and Importance The state’s once-humming mill and manufacturing towns – the Gateway Cities – are ready to rejoin the state’s economic mainstream. Worcester, a proud regional hub in Massachusetts, is part of this economic reinvention. As an important asset to the state, this historic community is developing its infrastructure to pursue smart growth and engage its growing, energetic and diverse workforce. Abandoned schools, mills and factories that once served as a center of work, life and learning for this community are being repurposed into multifamily housing, senior living, mixed-use and artist live/work space. Voke Lofts, a five-year construction project with WinnDevelopment, provides much needed affordable housing and marks the beginning of a new chapter for the city.
Restoring the Original U-Shape In 1955, the U-shaped school building was infilled with a gymnasium addition, crowdClient | WinnDevelopment Contractor | Dellbrook Construction Historic Consultant | Epsilon Associates Landscape Architect | A.T. Leonard & Associates Interiors | Ideal Design
ing the small campus, and leaving the site footprint with limited expansion possibilities. Once closed in 2006, the site became a refuge for squatters, vandalism, and the defunct structure became a part of city’s urban decay – a deteriorating and visual barrier to Worcester. The design team demolished the infill addition, which connected the two sides of the building at its middle, restoring the original U-shaped plan. Once extracted, this allowed for a courtyard entrance, walkways, parking lot and ample natural day lighting, essential for its new use as multifamily housing.
Distinctive Design Challenge Completed in the summer 2014, Voke Lofts, offers 84 mixed-income lofts in a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and resident amenities that include an on-site management office, community room with kitchen, a computer learning center, fitness center, a dedicated museum and art gallery, bike storage, a children’s playground and a community garden. “The development of Voke Lofts presented our team with a interesting design challenge, because unlike expansive factory buildings, the school was not able to be completely gutted and easily transformed into new living units,” explains Bob Verrier, FAIA, cofounder/managing principal. The unusual U-shaped footprint required an innovative approach, modifying the units around the building’s structure. This challenge resulted in a unique outcome in design in which no two units are the same. The transformation retains the industrial look of the historic building, characterized by high brick walls, exposed wood ceilings and piping, and vast windows. Voke Lofts is one of several preservation and adaptive reuse developments designed by the firm, including: Royal Worcester, Canal Lofts and Upsala School; and Worcester Loomworks currently in construction administration.
(Above): Hallway leading to the new artist gallery will feature work by local artists. (Below): Resident lounge with full kitchen, flat screen TV and access to outdoor patio and children’s playground © Warren Jagger
TAT is both architect of record and interior designers for the renovations of Harrison Court in Boston’s South End. © Andy Ryan
Color Trends: What’s New, What’s Next Anticipating trends for 2015, Melanie Conant, Interior Design Director at TAT points to the environment for her team’s inspiration and identifies other key elements for creating inspired, balanced and soothing spaces.
—allowing us to combine colors in fresh
spaces with appealing textures, shapes
ways, fusing styles and materials. Using
and contracting fabrics coupled with the
warm natural elements such as wood and
use of varying materials and surfaces to
stone build on our inherent connection to
add substantial interest. We are able to
the outdoors and provides a peaceful yet
amplify this effect by using reclaimed and
rejuvenated setting.
repurposed elements along with natural day
What current color trends can we expect to continue into 2015?
What other interior trends do you anticipate in the new year?
We will continue to look to the
Bolder hues will be used sparingly, but
environment for our inspiration, using
are essential for creating interest, energy,
warm taupes, tonal whites and soft grays
branding and enlivening work and living
as strong base neutrals. These colors
spaces with personality. Colors that are
are sophisticated, elegant and soothing.
used to minimally and buoyantly punctuate
Lighting is such a critical element, but often
Using varying shades of these colors add
a space might include chartreuse, bottle
overlooked. The right light can amplify
depth, allowing for bold accent colors to
green, magenta, aqua and cerulean.
artwork, architectural details and reveal
enliven and bring beautiful contrast into
We find that people are often seeking
dynamic textures. Using a well thought-
contemporary spaces. These accents
an oasis of simplicity and balance,
out strategy for combining ambient, task,
will come in the form of nature-inspired
primarily because of their hectic and high
accent, decorative and art lighting provides
fabrics and patterns, artwork, as well as
energy lifestyles – so we design neutral
an essential layering of light – just the right
wood mixed with industrial metal detailing
lighting and artwork to enable people to feel healthy and inspired, and also foster a sense of community.
What is another important element to consider when creating an enlivened community?
amount in proportion to the room.
PRESS Designing to Preserve a Legacy Interiors & Sources Magazine July 2014 Bob Verrier, FAIA, NCARB, co-founder/managing principal discusses the importance of Historic Tax Credit funding as a catalyst for the revitalization and rebirth of defunct buildings and the communities they serve. Laurelwood at The Pinehills, Plymouth, MA - designed to reflect New England-style architecture with a gambrel roof and a warm, cottage-style interior.
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EVENTS N E W S U P D AT E S O N S E L E C T TAT P R O J E C T S
Laurelwood At The Pinehills Plymouth, MA Client: The Northbridge Companies | Contractor: Callahan Construction
This new 77,000 square foot senior living community is situated within the neighborhood of the Pinehills community, in the heart of Plymouth, MA. Currently under construction, the new development will provide 30 assisted living/independent living units and 29 memory care units. The facility offers ample resident amenities, an outdoor roof deck, a 10,000 square foot open-air parking garage, as well as convenient access to local shopping, restaurants and recreational activities. TAT is both the architect-of-record and interior designer for the development, which marks the sixth senior living community for The Northbridge Companies.
Avalon Highpoint Quincy, MA Client/General Contractor: AvalonBay Communities
Located on the site of a former quarry, this new market-rate multifamily community provides more than 400 units of rental housing in five, 5-6 story mid-rise buildings. Resident amenities include a fitness room, outdoor pool, clubhouse and surface parking. Master-planner and architect-of-record for Avalon market-rate multifamily properties in Lexington and Danvers, MA, the firm is currently in construction administration with Avalon Marlborough, a new 350 unit residential community. TAT’s interior design studio is responsible for the design of all resident amenity areas.
Brighton Marine
Recent ribbon-cutting ceremonies include: 135 Lafayette, Salem, MA - a new 51 unit mixed-income multifamily development; Ames Privilege, Chicopee, MA - the partial conversion of a historic mill building into 40 additional rental units; Mattapan Boys & Girls Club of Boston - the conversion of a former Boston Public Library branch into a new Community Teen Center; Harrison Court, South End-Boston, MA - involved interior renovations to an historic apartment building providing 71 units and new community space; Residences at Five Corners, Easton, MA - a new 84 unit assisted living/independent living/ memory care campus; Washington Park, Boston, MA - the historic rehabilitation of an 8-building, 96-unit apartment community located in Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. Recent groundbreakings include Maplewood at Brewster, Brewster, MA - a new 132 unit senior living community.
TEAM The firm congratulates Matt Duggan, AIA on becoming a Registered Massachusetts Architect; and also welcomes new hires Kate MacAuley (interior design) and Jess Ruhlin (marketing).
Brighton, MA Client: WinnDevelopment and Brighton Marine Health Center
Currently in design development, this new 112,000 square foot multifamily development is dedicated to meeting the housing needs of veterans and their families. Located along Commonwealth Avenue on the Brighton Marine Health Center campus, the new six-story building will offer 101 rental units, with approximately 80-percent as affordable, in a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units; 7,500 square feet is dedicated to community space. For long-time client WinnDevelopment, this represents the thirtieth development designed by TAT in their portfolio of award-winning historic adaptive reuse communities.
Congratulations to the TAT Softball Team for winning the “2014 Boston Area Softball League Championship”.
For more information, please contact Valerie Capone at 617.889.4402. To subscribe to an electronic version of tat|now+next, please visit www.architecturalteam.com and click on the News section. Copyright ©2014. 50 Commandant’s Way at Admiral’s Hill Chelsea MA 02150 T 617.889.4402 F 617.884.4329 www.architecturalteam.com
+ fyi 17 different trades were taught at The Voke. 22 images of the
original machinery once used by the students now hang in the hallways.
312 historic replica
windows were replaced throughout the building.