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We’re proud to celebrate 38 years of MP!
Our story has been shaped by the individuals who make it all possible. Our team, clients, and collaborators have driven our growth through shared dedication, strong partnerships, and a passion for creating spaces that inspire.
We’re grateful for the relationships that have defined our firm
Here’s to everything ahead!
Each year during Women’s History Month, New England Real Estate Journal highlights women across the construction industry. This year, we’re proud to recognize Mack Blalock, a valued member of our team whose passion for architecture has been evident in her work as a Marketing Coordinator and continues to shine in her role as a Project Designer.
What current or recently completed project, accomplishment or initiative are you most excited about, and why does it matter for your team, clients or community?
I am proud of stepping into a marketing leadership role while our marketing director was on maternity leave. This was my first experience leading a department, and it pushed me to grow quickly in managing proposal delivery, coordinating presentations, and overseeing interdepartmental communication. Along with the invaluable help from my teammate Olivia Peyev, we worked hard to ensure our marketing materials maintained the same high quality during her absence. Now, transitioning to the project design side, I am bringing these new skill sets to the construction site.
What is one piece of advice or perspective you would share with women beginning their careers in the construction industry?
Before pursuing architecture, I worked in Hollywood and one piece of advice I took from my time in the entertainment industry was, “It is not about what you do, it is about who you know.” I found taking that approach was also incredibly successful when entering the AEC industry. Connecting and talking with people who do what I want to do has provided invaluable guidance and insight I would otherwise not have realized from personal research. There is so much value in surrounding yourself with people you admire and not being afraid to ask them tons of questions
What habit or routine helps you stay focused or motivated during a busy week?
Although I take my work seriously, I strive to never take myself too seriously. Laughter is the best motivator
See Mack featured on page 32 of this year’s NEREJ Women in Construction Spotlight.
Before closing the chapter on 2025, we wanted to reflect on the many achievements and wins from this past year. From landing exciting new projects, wrapping up some equally inspiring ones, and finding creative ways to stay connected as a team, 2025 truly kept us on our toes.
Thank you to our incredible clients and team members for an amazing year. We’re excited to see what we can achieve together in 2026!
Check out this year’s holiday video!
Do you ever notice a shift in your mood when you enter a room? According to Clarus’s 2025 presentation Color Theory & Mental Health, the colors present in a space can subconsciously influence our behavior and emotions. As an interior designer, I strive to find creative ways to incorporate colors, textures, lighting, and other elements to create ideal spaces and environments where people can engage and work efficiently.
Selecting the appropriate colors for a given space is critical as you want the feeling of the space to match the function.
When designing a space, whether an office renovation, medical office space, or a building lobby upgrade, it’s essential to strategize the concept and determine the purpose and feelings these spaces should serve. Some examples of how we utilize colors include:
Neutral colors can help create a sense of home, positively influencing serotonin levels, enhancing feelings of contentment, and fostering authentic interactions. Upgraded building amenity spaces can incorporate these colors to help users feel at ease, as if they are casually working from their own living room. The careful selection of colors can aid in relaxation and encourage more comfortable interactions among users.
Blue has been shown to reduce anxiety by slowing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. Additionally, blue can aid in problem-solving and enhance alertness. This concept can be beneficial when designing workplace conference rooms, huddle spaces, and meeting areas.
Green can help lower blood pressure and heart rate while fostering greater engagement among individuals, leading to improved conversations. Not only does this make it an effective color in healthcare settings, but incorporating this color into pantry or gathering spaces can create an environment that enhances interaction among users. An inviting atmosphere also encourages participation in team bonding activities or simply enjoying a cup of coffee while catching up with coworkers.
Gray and other muted colors have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing overall well-being. Wellness rooms can benefit from incorporating these colors to promote relaxation and meditation. This can be particularly helpful for individuals experiencing a stressful day, allowing them to enter a calming space and feel at ease.
Color can influence not only moods and emotions but can also serve as a navigation tool throughout a building or indicate transitions between different areas.
A recent example is a completed healthcare project for renovated internal medicine offices and exam rooms. Our project team incorporated colors specifically to create an environment to help patients easily locate exam rooms and find their way back to reception. By using colors thoughtfully on the walls, ceilings, and floors, we enhanced accessibility for all types of patients, including those with sensitivities to harsh lights or colors, as well as individuals who are visually impaired or aging. The distinct colors throughout space allow patients to orient themselves from various perspectives, whether they are looking down at the floor or up at eye level.
Another example of using color for wayfinding are the “blue portals” our project team implemented in a recently completed workplace renovation. These portals help direct users through various areas, guiding them from public areas to work zones and employee spaces.
Colors play an essential role in our daily lives, often influencing our emotions and behaviors without us even realizing it. As designers, one of our main objectives is to create spaces that not only make users feel comfortable but also enhance their ability to perform tasks efficiently.
In this episode of Ask The Architect, Senior Project Manager and Director of Operations Josh White dives into the topic of adaptive reuse, offering expert insights and practical advice on navigating this evolving and compelling area of the industry.
MP’s very own Jane Kepros and Robina Shepherd are featured in the New England Real Estate Journal’s 2025 Women in Commercial Real Estate Spotlight!
Jane Kepros | Director of Lab Programming
What has been the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in your career, and why? When I first considered leaving the pharma industry to work at an architecture firm, I was asked why I would leave a “noble” career developing treatments for illnesses or diseases to work in design. Since then, I have been involved in over 170 projects, mostly in the biotech/pharma industry. These facilities I helped design have been used by dozens of companies and thousands of employees to develop treatments and cures for many indications. I’m proud to think that my input has made a small impact as I help the scientists and technicians bring these products to market.
What’s a challenge you faced early in your career, and how did you overcome it? I changed careers from working as a scientist in a biology lab to working at an architecture firm in my thirties. It was my first time working in an office environment, which was a culture shock. Imposter syndrome hit hard. I confided in a colleague, who was a wonderful mentor, and she reminded me that I was hired for my previous experience, which was unique and would be an asset, and that no one expected me to be an expert in the design industry on day 1. When I had bad days, I thought about that advice. Over time, I developed my expertise and have since enjoyed a lot of success.
Robina Shepherd | Senior Interior Designer
What drew you to commercial real estate, and what keeps you passionate? As a designer the opportunity to focus on hospitality and multi-family development was my initial draw to commercial real estate. Over the last four years I’ve been fortunate to design the interiors for six multi-family affordable housing projects throughout greater New England and New York sparking my drive to create places that everyone can be proud to call home. I’m grateful for spaces like CREW Boston’s Housing and Community Development Committee that support that passion.
Congratulations to you both and we cannot wait to see all your continued success!
Join us for episode 10 of Ask The Architect where Healthcare Studio Leader Edward Marcey explains the many positive impacts community health centers have on both patients and hospitals.
Today marks the final day of Zoe Botta’s Summer Design Internship with MP. A member of the Carnegie Mellon University Class of 2027, Zoe has been a dedicated, hardworking, and enthusiastic contributor to our team. As her internship comes to a close, we sat down with Zoe to reflect on her experience and the impact she has made during her time with us.
Zoe, how are you feeling as you near the end of your MP Design Internship?
I’m incredibly grateful for the staff, experiences, and knowledge that I’ve gained during my time at MP. I’m going to miss all of you and the work that I’ve been doing here. I’m especially thankful for all the patience, kindness, and mentorship that I have received throughout my internship.
What has been your favorite part of interning at MP?
I think the people are a real highlight. I feel so deeply spoiled when it comes to the number of people that have let me come on various site visits‑or, how I kindly refer to them as field trips. I’m very thankful for being able to see and learn as much as I can, and I think that’s really because the people have been so willing to bring me along and explain to me the process and importance of each aspect of architecture. I mean, I also love the snack, love the bagels on Tuesdays-I’m not going to lie to you. But overall, I think it’s really the community, the culture of this place, and the fact that I’m doing real work here. I’m doing things that help me learn all while contributing to something.
What is the most impactful or surprising thing you learned about architecture and design?
Going into this experience, I knew that architecture education and architecture practice were different, but I don’t think I realized how much of a difference there was. Of course, what I’m learning in school is helping me here, but those are more of the “how to think” skills, and this is more of the actual practice of architecture. I’m also a little bit surprised by the amount of communication between various teams, both internally and externally. It is a lot of facilitating conversation between the client, vendors, engineers, and sometimes even other architecture and design firms. I understood architects having to know about all the parts and pieces, but I don’t think I knew how they actually played out.
What is something you experienced at MP that you will take with you back to school?
MP redefined to me what looking at something big picture means. Going into this experience, big picture kind of meant zooming out with a less high-fidelity level of detail. But what I’ve learned from MP is that the big picture is defined by the small details. So, if you don’t have those small details, the big picture is not going be as successful. Similar to a puzzle, if the individual pieces are well crafted, the entire composition will be fantastic, but if even one piece is not created with care, you will be able to tell. I have seen a heightened level of care in every step while at this office and have directly seen that translation into creating meaningful spaces.
What is a piece of advice you would give to someone interested in interning at an architectural firm?
I went into this internship not having any finite things that I wanted to do or learn but rather was willing to work on anything and everything. This broad approach helped me the most because it meant that I didn’t limit myself or my experience based on what I thought I wanted. I was very aware that I had a lot to learn and didn’t want to pigeonhole myself into one area of architecture. I would advise them to just go into any experience or opportunity as a sponge. Taking the opportunities people throw at you is really one of the best ways to learn, because you learn what you like and what you don’t like.
In episode 9 of Ask The Architect, Caitlin Greenwood, Partner and Senior Project Manager, discusses how to make the most out of a sublease lab space.