Boston, MA – Vanderweil Engineers has teamed up with local architectural firm Hacin + Associates for the design of the Boston Innovation Center. The Boston Innovation Center, a project funded by Seaport Square masterplan developer Boston Global Investors and Morgan Stanley, will be the first of many buildings constructed within the 23-acre Seaport Square mixed-use development in the heart of Boston’s Innovation District.
The Innovation Center is a 12,480 sf single-story building situated between Seaport Boulevard and Northern Avenue in South Boston. The multipurpose facility is designed to support the city’s Innovation District initiatives and includes nearly 9,000 sf of meeting space, auditorium space, and flexible use space, along with nearly 2,500 sf of restaurant space that opens onto a patio adjacent to the future Seaport Square Green. The Innovation Center is designed to be the hub of the Innovation District – a place where local entrepreneurs, startups, established companies, nonprofits, and visiting entities gather to host both business and social events. The Innovation Center aims to create a communal space that encourages the collaboration and exchange of ideas among businesses and individuals throughout Boston, New England, and the world.
Some of the project’s design highlights include highly flexible space that can accommodate a wide variety of users, efficient thermal envelope and window glazing, a low pressure drop HVAC system design, and dedicated air handling systems with heat recovery and optimized DDC controls for added energy efficiency. The Innovation Center has been designed to exceed Stretch Energy Code requirements and is anticipated to consume nearly 22% less energy compared to a code-compliant building. The Innovation Center is targeting a LEED® Silver certification and is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2013.