Cambridge, MA
Corporate interior

Set overlooking Boston and the Charles River, the renovation of the building’s main lobby and public space now reflects the contemporary feel that its high-tech tenants demand and the active streetscape and busy river along the M.I.T. edge of Cambridge suggests.

From a staid wood and carpet condition the designers imagined a light open series of walls in glass, wood and stone that formed a contemporary museum-like environment. This linear spatial experience utilizes a reflective LED lit glass wall to increase the lobby’s depth and height this reflective internal wall, mirrors the external elevations of the building and the iconic buildings of the Boston skyline are seen on the internal wall. The lobby extends from the center entry of the building west to the parking and vehicular drop-off and a fashionable café and fitness center extend to the east connecting all key public spaces.

The café provides a bright professional environment which also serves as a meeting venue and work environment outside of dining hours. The exterior seating extends dining capacity in the summer and the overall character is reflective of a hip urban eatery. Modeled after the emerging boutique hotels, the project employs clean finishes, crisp detailing and the overlapping of the lobby café and fitness functions to create a dynamic public experience.