Worcester Business Journal

14 Worcester Business Journal | June 27, 2022 | wbjournal.com F O C U S A R C H I T E C T U R E & C O N S T R U C T I O N BY LAURA FINALDI Special to WBJ F or generations, Central Massachusetts has been known for its historic mill buildings, classic three-decker houses, and local architectural icons like Union Station, with its marble flooring and stained-glass. But today, there's room for new, contemporary designs in the region, as well as homages to what's already there. Local architects who design in Worcester and the surrounding areas said so much of what's being built in the region in the current age is focused on sustainabil- ity. Materials are being sourced from nearby, and more eco-friendly products like wood timbers are replacing steel columns and beams as high-interest pieces. At the same time, there's an emphasis on enhancing what existing buildings already have to offer. Some of the area's older, brick-clad structures are getting outfit- ted with modern extensions. ere's a balance between maintaining a building's historical integrity and adding upon it with more sustainable materials. "Architecture reflects culture. I take that as a posi- tive thing," said Katie Crockett, president of Worces- ter-based LPA | Architects. "It's not ignoring the past. It's still a celebration of a historic building, which is so, so important, but it's a new design coming forward, reflecting our time today." Residential construction A big focus in residential construction is making a building's ground level more pedestrian-friendly, said Jeremy Baldwin, architect with Maugel DeStefano Architects in Harvard. In Boston, it's pretty common to see an apartment complex with a retail or restaurant tenant on the ground level. Residents at the Ink Block Apartments in the South End, for example, can take advantage of a downstairs Whole Foods. Putting street-fronting amenities, whether it's a retail store or even a gym, on the ground floor of a multifamily building can make it more inviting. "If you have a seven-story building right up against a street front, that can feel very stark and like a wall. So, how do you articulate that streetfront, and bring down the scale? You do it with different material at that level, or if there's a bump-in or bump back, or maybe we'll do some pergolas," he said. "We do it in a way that's more inviting to people to really come and sit and enjoy that space right in front of the building." Boston, Baldwin said, is a prime example, especially in the Seaport District, where there's a clean slate. "ey'll put in a canopy, and that draws your eye towards the ground floor, and allows people to be more engaged with the streetfront and the building," he said. Maugel DeStefano did this at the Wachusett Brew Yard at the Worcester Public Market, which has big windows, outdoor seating, and high ceilings once you're inside. Baldwin said he's incorporating those accessible outdoor principles into a new 421-unit residential structure in the works for 274 Franklin St. in Worcester. Down the pipeline, Central Massachusetts could start to see the results of some national housing trends starting to gain traction. One of those is 3D printed homes, where components made out of concrete are 3D printed and then assembled, said Scott Richardson, principal and cofounder at Hopkinton-based Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects. Builders still need to do the interior work, but the whole exterior can be assembled in about 27 hours, he said. Richardson said he has noticed an overall movement towards smaller homes, in- cluding so-called tiny houses. "You're certainly going to see a lot more tiny house development in California or Colorado, but I've talked to several people who recently bought houses in the area who say, 'All these houses are too big. We don't need 3,000 square feet for our family,'" he said. "Are people going to trend back to 600 or 700 square feet? Probably not. But I think we're going to see a trend for smaller houses, and these can tend to be pre-fabricated and/or 3D printed construction." Sustainable materials About a decade ago, the trend in building sustain- ability was LEED sustainability certification. But today, architects are focused on reducing a building's carbon footprint as much as possible, Baldwin said. Passive House certification is more of the focus today, especially in Massachusetts, where the Mass Save pro- Street-level interactions, sustainability, and preserving the past with a modern touch are all part of the region's new building designs Central Massachusetts' new architectural legacy Katie Crockett,president of LPA | Architects Jeremy Baldwin, architect at Maugel DeStefano Architects In updating the Hanover Theatre, LPA | Architects had to preserve its historic feel with modern touches for new audiences and performances. PHOTO | COURTESY OF LPA | ARCHITECTS

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