Boston – The Boston Society of Architects (BSA) is on the brink of a transformative move to Boston’s waterfront. The news was formally announced on January 11 during a lease-signing event in the BSA’s new space at Atlantic Wharf Boston
Höweler + Yoon Architecture has been selected to design the organization’s new headquarters.
The new BSA headquarters includes 15,768sf of leased space and 1550sf of additional BSA-controlled/managed space (ground floor concierge and exhibition space). Atlantic Wharf offers significant opportunities for the BSA to expand its reach: enhancing member services, creating new ways to engage the public and functioning as a forum for civic discussion about the built environment.
Nineteen creative, anonymously submitted concepts from a design ideas competition were considered by the BSA Designer Selection Panel, who ultimately chose Höweler + Yoon’s design from a short list of five architectural firms. The other shortlisted firms were Hashim Sarkis, Merge Architects, SsD and the team of Chris and Megan Keesling and Derek Little.
The new BSA headquarters located in the newly constructed waterfront building will include office, exhibition, concierge and meeting spaces.
The Atlantic Wharf project consists of the Waterfront Building (290 Congress Street), a seven-story, 210,000sf office building with approximately 16,000sf of ground floor retail; the Office Tower (280 Congress Street), a 32-story office tower; the Russia Building (530 Atlantic Avenue), a seven-story, 86-unit residential building with approximately 10,000sf of ground floor retail; a six level underground parking garage; and a park and dock facility on the Fort Point Channel.
“The BSA hosts some 500 events and meetings every year, and at only 5,000 sf, our current location’s space restrictions have created logistical challenges,” says Eric White, interim co-director of the BSA.
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