66 Cambridge Street
66 Cambridge Street is a state-of-the-art life sciences development poised to bring class-a research space to Charlestown, MA.
The 812,000 square foot facility includes two high-efficiency towers. The modern, sustainable, transit-oriented development comprises mixed-use research facilities, office space, as well as ground floor retail and hospitality to activate the public realm. Reaching eleven and thirteen stories, the subtle height difference between the two buildings gives it a playful, asymmetrical balance, while the tiered vertical expression provides stunning 360° views of the cityscape.
Designed with support from DREAM Collaborative, the two buildings are connected by a podium and feature an understory of trees and plantings to help regulate the surrounding air quality. The horizontal and vertical strategy for this ‘carbon sink’ helps mitigate the plaza’s center line and offers a nice visual break on the top portions while remaining unseen by those traveling the highway at street level.
By offsetting the building site closer to the highway, 66 Cambridge delivers a visual, acoustical, and pollution buffer to enhance the nearby neighborhood; leveraging the towers’ position and design articulation to create a multisensory barrier between residents and the popular commute corridor.
The project team has elected to elevate the facades with elegant slopes and curves. By having the crown of the building rise and fall, the skin achieves a distinct look that evokes a sense of calm intrigue that redefines Life Sciences typologies.
The approximately four-acre site also includes 41,000 square feet of open space for the public to gather and host events. Highlighted by a new 700-foot-long pedestrian corridor, this hallmark design feature will serve as a world-class gateway for the surrounding community to connect to/from Sullivan Square. The site’s strategic location allows it to be experienced by the public in a way that takes advantage of its adjacency to existing infrastructure, such as the MBTA’s Orange T Line and MBTA bus service.
At street level, the plaza’s public realm features a variety of outdoor spaces that capture the unique energy of the neighborhood, including parks, art galleries, retail shops, and restaurants, along with ample pedestrian lanes for walking and cycling. These community amenities extend throughout the base, between the plaza’s sister buildings.
When designing 66 Cambridge, it was important for the project team to accentuate the industrial character of the neighborhood and its future context while reflecting on its emerging revitalization. The intersection of these design elements allowed SGA to create a leading-edge life sciences facility that provides best-in-class resources for its future tenants (and the citizens of Charlestown).
Throughout the project, focus on sustainability and climate resiliency are key. Due to the site’s proximity to a nearby floodplain, the main entry plaza has been raised to the elevation of 21.5 feet to protect the building’s entrances and all critical infrastructure supporting the development.
Upon completion, 66 Cambridge plans to be LEED Gold Certified (with a stretch goal of Platinum certification) and to operate with best-in-class energy performance. The project will focus on greenhouse gas and carbon deductions as part of its larger decarbonization strategy with the City. It will also feature onsite renewable energy that will be integrated into the vertical expression of the building’s penthouse and electrification of its entire power system.