by J.F. Finn, III
J.F. Finn, III
In many cities, especially older East Coast ones like Boston, space in urban environments is particularly limited. Coupled with today’s demand for instantaneous access to information, communications, and experiences, cities face a new set of challenges with our rapidly densifying urban cores.
Until recent years, spaces to work, live, and play were quite distinct. Today, from city centers to the suburbs we seek (and expect) ubiquitous mixed-use centers that deliver a range of programmed experiences. As a term, mixed use has many layers. The most basic level of meaning is a destination with more than one intended use. A textbook urban example would be a dynamic retail and entertainment podium with residential and hotel towers. Curated by developers and property owners, it provides choice with uses that play off one another synergistically to create a “place.” In 2016 and beyond, cities will continue to hone the art of mixed use to enrich our daily experiences at work and play.
Consider the evolution of work as a destination. It was once a silo: We went to the office for an 8-hour day, after which we traveled elsewhere for our workouts, errands, and social life.
Contrast this with today’s amenity-rich corporate campuses. Facebook, Google, and others have created self-sustained mixed-use environments with onsite dry cleaners, fitness centers, and healthy food options.
While these campuses have proven track records attracting and retaining talent, they sometimes lack diversity and spontaneity. In 2016 we will see more businesses infuse themselves into authentic mixed-use destinations that draw from a much wider and more diverse demographic. The Partners HealthCare campus at Assembly Row in Somerville opens later this year. Just steps from the new Orange Line MBTA stop, this home to more than 4,000 employees will have energy and activity 24×7 thanks to adjacent retail, restaurants, and entertainment, while still maintaining the appeal of the corporate campus.
Further, what corporate campuses have typically created on a horizontal plane will be done on a more vertical scale. Many mixed-use projects on the boards for downtown Boston include office towers atop podiums. These forward-looking workspaces will afford companies the chance to take advantage of settings that provide choice and create synergies between the different programmatic elements. To retain and attract tenants, landlords and owners of existing commercial office buildings realize they need to create a “great place.” They will consider how to enhance onsite amenities, creating a mini mixed-use destination.
The opportunity for mixed use to create the greatest impact on our cities and communities — as well as the economic bottom line — is in its ability to fully leverage the infrastructure of a development or neighborhood. Water, power, maintenance, land use, parking – these necessary elements have a tremendous impact on our cities. Replacement costs, limited capacity, and aging systems are serious challenges for cities like ours where demand is rapidly increasing because of densification.
Developing true mixed use is a way that we can really leverage land and infrastructure intelligently with optimal results for all. While an office tower’s consumption of energy and water peaks during the day, this is when residential demand plummets — and vice versa. These complementary peaks can maximize the investment in infrastructure by using the same systems, essentially doing double or triple duty, giving you a 1 + 1 = 3 outcome.
Transforming cities is all about design — whether purposeful or otherwise. Purposeful design can build on a city’s assets or help redirect or unlock those assets. Our unique opportunity lies in our ability to bring together expertise around live, work, and play to enrich the human experience.
It’s about bringing this integrated approach to every project to create deep visceral experiences. In 2016 we all need to become leaders in the creation of livable cities, inviting futurists and disruptors to join the conversation.
J.F. Finn, III, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a principal of Gensler.
