News | July 24th 2018

10 Farnsworth Wins Preservation Achievement Award

CBT is proud to announce that 10 Farnsworth has been selected as a 2018 Preservation Achievement Award recipient by the Boston Preservation Alliance. The program recognizes excellent design in historic preservation and compatible new construction in the city of Boston. "10 Farnsworth takes a pensive yet bold approach in an eclectic, Landmarked, warehouse neighborhood," says Greg Galer, Executive Director of the Boston Preservation Alliance, "all while addressing resiliency challenges where dumpsters were literally floating down the street this past winter."

Located in the heart of Boston’s Fort Point Channel Landmark district, the design for 10 Farnsworth emerged from the desire to create a building that both acknowledges the neighborhood’s industrial past and celebrates its modern identity. The six-story, 30,000-square-foot residential building marries traditional building form with contemporary material expression, introducing an elegant addition to one of Boston’s most historic districts. The design completes the streetscape with ground-level retail wrapping the corner of the block and a 40-foot long original art wall, created by a local artist. 

"We're very honored to be recognized by the Boston Preservation Alliance for the 2018 Preservation Achievement Award," comments CBT Prinicipal David Nagahiro. "There is a tremendous responsibility to design a modern building in one of Boston's precious Landmark Districts in Fort Point Channel. We wanted to create a new architecture that found its roots in the values, materials, and scale of the Landmark District, but clearly represented a design of its time." 

Although 10 Farnsworth sits adjacent to 19th and 20th century industrial buildings, its façade does not try to mimic any particular style. Rather, the glassy façade and the industrial-inspired structure creates contrast with an airy, modern sensibility. Horizontal metal members serve as reference points to cornice lines and architectural details of nearby buildings, while the use of glass instills a sense of lightness and an understated elegance. The charcoal-grey material palette recedes against the surrounding masonry structures, and creates interest with highlights of color that reference rich shades of material found in historic industrial lofts. 

Read more from the Boston Preservation Alliance here.