Boston – At a prime location in Boston’s Kenmore Square. The new 122,000sf east campus student services center at Boston University is on a site that addresses both the private residential nature of the BU campus and the more public character of Kenmore Square.
The design of the new building responds appropriately to both of these influences, simultaneously creating a transition between the two. The building’s program includes a mix of university dining and student service related activities. The 1,100 seat dining hall, kitchens an serveries will be on the first wo floors while the upper four floors will include lounge and study space, community activity space, and offices for student services. Six academic service centers will be relocated into the new facility including the writing center, academic advising center and professional advising office, office of student programs and leadership, educational resource center and the office of career services.
The materials and exterior detailing of the new building are designed to respect and complement the existing architecture and urban design of the neighborhood. Particular attention has been paid to the primary entry façade, where the size, color and detail of both the masonry wall and the windows and bays maintain and extend the traditional edge of the Back Bay neighborhood.
Designed to achieve LEED GOLD certification, the student center embraces sustainable strategies specific for dining and student service uses. Each are considered and evaluated separately, and integrated into a system that will work well for all parts of the building.
Achieving this rests on various initiatives: understanding and adopting the aesthetic continuities of campus and neighborhood; achieving technical excellence in building envelope by avoiding thermal by-passes, especially at openings; preventing vapor migration that can result in mold; controlling moisture penetration that results in envelope failures, especially of ferrous materials; and implementing sustainable design practices from the start of the design process and initial construction, to the operation of the building, with cost control during construction and operation, and performance of post-occupancy evaluations and lessons learned.
New BU campus Underway
Boston – At a prime location in Boston’s Kenmore Square. The new 122,000sf east campus student services center at Boston University is on a site that addresses both the private residential nature of the BU campus and the more public character of Kenmore Square.