 |
| View From Terrace Street: Activated Streetscape with Gallery Cafe and Art Inspired Landscaping Image Credit: Urbanica Design |
The Department of
Neighborhood Development and the BRA are seeking the very best practitioners in
the Sustainable Development and Green Building industry to help us create a
lasting, inspiring development. The Mission Hill site is leading the Mayor’s E+
Green Communities Program, which seeks to advance Boston’s Sustainable
Development and Green Building efforts to the next level by creating LEED
Platinum, energy positive, healthy homes that enhance the sustainability of the
surrounding communities.
The Mission Hill RFP is comprised of two sites:
Site 1: 790-796 Parker Street (approximately 15,
007 square feet)
Site 2: 778-788 Parker Street + 77 Terrace
Street (approximately 42,450 square feet)
Click here for more details on the [RFP].
As a response to the RFP, we are proposing a mixed use development
that includes an approximately 41,000 square foot building with 33 residential
units and approximately 3,000 square foot gallery/cafe at the ground level. The
project will include redesigning the important 14,000 square foot community
garden with an "art walk" and sculpture court for the residents and
community to enjoy.On-site parking will be included in a partial underground
garage and covered structure.
The proposed building and landscaping is designed with a
special emphasis on sustainability. Our design approach is based on 3 major
strategies for energy reduction:
- A super insulated building envelope to minimize heat transfer and to minimize mechanical conditioning.
- State of the Art Energy Management Systems to monitor energy consumption and to regulate resident behavior.
- An integrated public art and landscaping strategy to capture/recycle runoffs and for public art display.
On Parker Street, the building is expressed as two upright
boxes with proportions that are based on the existing townhouses types in the
area. The façade, which will overlook the community garden, is comprised as a
series of attached porches with operable wood shutters for privacy. On Terrace
St. the building façade is made up of a two story, horizontally-oriented box
made of burnt orange metal panel over a ground floor, glass storefront system.
The expression is a decidedly more industrial aesthetic.
The long bar, which connects the upper and lower blocks,
makes up the rest of the building. The long bar’s material expression mediates
between the upper and lower building expressions. The primary exterior cladding
of the long bar is a burnt orange metal panel with carved out areas that are
clad in wood.
Beyond the two different building contexts, the project site
possesses some unique characteristics that inform our design approach. Perhaps
the most notable is the topography. The site drops nearly 40’ from top to
bottom- or from Parker Street to Terrace Street. On the one hand, the steep
profile allows for expansive views and also the potential to harness the sun
for energy, on the other hand, there is a substantial amount of ledge which
precludes the possibility for multiple levels of underground parking. The other
two considerations, the existing arts park and community gardens, both figure
prominently into our design approach.
Our design proposes to replace the existing arts park with a
new outdoor art-related amenities, called the “Arts Walk” and “Sculpture
Court”. The “Arts Walk” will be a meandering public path comprised of a series
of terraced landscaped areas and platforms for outdoor sculpture. We will
also explore creating custom art works for the building façade including a
permanent light installation embedded within the façade and a custom mural on
the building. At the bottom of the “Arts Walk”, there is a small outdoor
amphitheater and sculpture court. This space is adjacent and visually connected
to a ground floor art gallery/café.
As per the requirements of the RFP, the existing
community garden must be retained. Our proposal maintains the location of the
community garden, but improves it substantially. On Parker Street, we propose a
decorative metal fence along the sidewalk with a centralized gateway for public
access. The garden plots will be made up of a system of rectangles that will be
part of the overall design composition. A public path will be carved out of the
community garden and will lead either directly to the Arts Parks Residences
building’s upper entrance or to the “Art’s Walk”.
The landscape design creatively engages the community by
drawing on themes from the existing art park to activate the site as a model
for environmental and neighborhood sustainability. The other key elements of
the site design encourage sustainable possibilities for growing food and
recycling rainwater. The landscape design will communicate the inherently
temporal and seasonal fluctuations of the site's microclimate. The rain and
community gardens also serve as both pleasurable and didactic learning
experiences, enabling the residents and community members to engage and
understand the complex and dynamic processes of an productive landscape.
Please check out the boards that we submitted as part of the
RFP submission for greater details:
 |
| Proposal Board 1: Site Analysis and Plans Credit: Urbanica Design |
 |
| Proposal Board 2: Architecture and Landscape Credit: Urbanica Design |
 |
| Proposal Board 3: Sustainability and Systems Credit: Urbanica Design |
