Nathan Turner Senior Project Manager and Associate Partner, Margulies Perruzzi Age: 44 Industry experience: 22 years
Nate Turner recently marked his 22nd anniversary at Boston-based Margulies Perruzzi Architects (MPA). In recent years he’s specialized in repurposing brick-and-beam properties in neighborhoods including the Seaport District, updating historic structures for the 21st century economy. Turner’s recent projects include repositioning of three buildings on Farnsworth Street and Thomson Place with new ground-floor retail and windows, and updates to 10 and 20 Channel Center including new tenant amenities and branding materials.
Q: How did you address historic preservation guidelines when adding ground-floor retail to the Thomson Place property? A: We saw an opportunity to connect the historic thoroughfare of Congress Street with Seaport Boulevard and have Thomson Place be a prime connector. Part of the success of what we’ve been able to do so far is we’ve worked well with the Landmarks Commission starting from the place of what’s important to them. Instead of creating an uphill struggle, let’s focus on the historic elements that are desirable and build off that rather than creating something new.
How do you take a building with small window openings while trying to maximize glass for shoppers? For Thomson Place, it was trying to accentuate the arches that had been modified over the years and restore it to its rightful condition. But also taking a look at the sidewalks, the widths of those and understanding where the curb cuts and ramps are, making them pedestrian-friendly. On the finishing touches, it’s bumping out the sidewalks. We don’t want cars zooming up and down the street.
Q: What are the sweet spots in building sizes, heights and unit count that lend themselves well to cross-laminated timber construction? A: There are provisions in the building code that allow you to use it as a structural element, but there are forthcoming code changes that allow you to build up to 10 stories. In a recent project on A Street, we added a 2-story addition to a historical structure. It’s lighter in load than steel or concrete, and the same level of construction without impacting the building as much. Someone trying to do a 15-story building in Boston
might come up with some hurdles, because they would be on the leading edge of the code updates.
The 2021 code changes will allow uses in taller and bigger structures and more applications. You might see the introduction of CLT fire stairs. They might have to be clad with materials, but the more you can use heavy timber, the more they can be fastened in an interconnected way, which would lead to improved construction times. When you’re dealing with mechanical fasteners and just one trade, that’s different than having a steel fabricator and having to stop for the welding and cure the concrete and do it layer by layer.
Q: Have you received requests to do office retrofits during COVID-19? A: It’s kind of a blessing and a curse. This is a great opportunity for deferred maintenance projects or overall master planning and capital improvements. When you have lower occupancy in a building, that means fewer hurdles and headaches. The biggest challenge is just financing and that’s going to vary from owner to owner. Everyone’s trying to look at the glass as half full and saying they can take advantage of the downturn, and the labor force may be more available to deal with these projects. There may be more competitive bidding or less downtime.
In tenant spaces, it’s a similar mindset, but implemented differently with a certain amount of uncertainty about what the next three months will bring. We’ve seen a lot of tenants say, “OK, we have to do something. What are the simpler things we can do right away that are low-cost and high-impact?” Signage, sanitizing stations, that’s the easy stuff. Anybody can do it at low cost. But when you think about furniture
panels, spacing of rooms, updating office floor plans, you start getting into operational questions. People have questions. Do I need to have the conversation with the landlord about the HVAC system and how late my air stays on at night? There’s a good-better-best solution.
Q: As Boston prepares a new coastal resiliency zoning overlay, what do developers need to know about best practices in floodproofing? A: As a coastal city, we will not be the only ones dealing with this. Venice continues to be the bellwether for a lot of us. There are a lot of similarities. Boston has done a great job of creating a resiliency group that’s looking at measurable goals by 2030 and understands the risks, looking at vulnerable areas that are landmarks or neighborhoods. We’re trying to be proactive, but the solutions are not easy. It’s hard to
implement across the city in a budget-friendly manner. No matter what you do, there’s going to be a weak link.
Q: Is the above-ground podium the current preferred option for parking in multifamily projects? A: Some of it depends on the soil conditions and where the water tables are, but I’ve seen some projects look at parking as a buffer between a ground-level use and the floors above. But you’re trading some real estate from an investment perspective. What I’ve been hearing over the last year or so is the city is trying to process what the right ratios are going forward. If it’s for a building where the demographic is predominantly college students, [some developers are] looking whether to repurpose the garage into additional living units. If they’re renovating, it’s a great time to reclaim some square-footage.
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Innovative use of CLT instead of steel provided greater flexibility during hybrid historical/new construction renovations
Margulies Perruzzi (MP), one of New England’s most innovative architectural and interior design firms, announced today that it has utilized cross-laminated timber (CLT) to add two stories to an existing 1920’s era brick and beam building at 69 A Street in South Boston, creating a five-story 45,000 SF building which is a hybrid of historical and new construction. The firm navigated the complex permitting process on behalf of its client, and the building has been designed to accommodate either a single tenant or multiple tenants.
Originally the home of the Standard Rivet Company, the building was designed for industrial use with three floors and an unfinished basement. With some of the original windows – single pane with steel edging – still in place, Margulies Perruzzi was able to reference the original architecture to guide placement for building core volumes while maximizing window opening percentages. A long and narrow rectangle with 7,500 SF floor plates, the layout of the building presented a challenge from the start. The design team decided to add two floors and selected CLT for their construction, aligning with the industrial brick and beam nature of the building. The exterior skin of the new levels is a metal panel rainscreen system installed with exposed metal fasteners that speak to its original use. Leaving the CLT exposed on the upper floors creates a much more appealing exterior than standard steel construction. Designed to be on the lot line, Margulies Perruzzi arranged for setbacks to allow for additional light on the South side.
Cross-laminated timber is a processed timber product of superior strength and stability that offers unique new possibilities and unparalleled advantages in wood construction. Nordic X-Lam from Nordic Structures is made of at least three orthogonal layers of graded sawn lumber that are laminated by gluing with structural adhesives. Wood is five times lighter than concrete and 15 times lighter than steel so Margulies Perruzzi was able to retain the existing structure and it did not have to replace or reinforce the existing foundations before adding two stories. Additional benefits of CLT are the inherent fire resistance properties and a natural wood ceiling that can be left exposed to create a warm finished aesthetic.
Two new vertical stacks were introduced into the floorplate: the first is nestled in the middle of the building, with vertical circulation and a bathroom core; and the second, an egress stair, located in the back corner. Both stack elements doubled as seismic code elements without impacting the floorplate or building aesthetic.
The main entrance access is located off A Street next to a “vest-pocket” park and features interior elements that relate to the industrial nature of the building such as a custom reception desk with weathered zinc panels and blackened steel. The front half of the first floor looks out on A Street with large windows featuring a lowered sill for greater connectivity to the street. The fifth floor has a street-facing outdoor terrace accessible directly from the office space with views of the evolving West Broadway neighborhood and South Station skyline.
As one of New England’s top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi (MP) designs Workplace, Health+Science, and Real Estate projects that inspire and nurture human endeavor. More information may be found at https://mparchitectsboston.com.
We have news to report. The data is in on business trends for the annual Interior Design Rising Giants, the 100 largest firms after our top 100 Giants. However, there’s a catch: It’s 2020. Which means our entire world is in various stages of flux—actually, upheaval may be a better word. No one knows what will happen next week, let alone next year. So while these new numbers can give you a fine idea of what kind of year the Rising Giants had in 2019, all bets are off on guessing how the design industry and the economy overall will weather the rest of 2020 and beyond.
Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program is first and largest private-sector clinic in the nation with reimagined and responsive design
BOSTON, Jan. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Margulies Perruzzi (MP), one of New England’s most innovative architectural and interior design firms, today announced that its high performance clinical workplace design for the Home Base Veteran and Family Care Center has been honored with awards from CoreNet Global New England and IFMA Boston. Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, received the CoreNet Global New England 2019 Award of Excellence, Best New Small Workplace and the IFMA Boston 2019 Best Practice Award of Excellence, Medium Project. A video of the Home Base project can be viewed here.
Completed in 2018, Home Base’s new 26,422 SF facility in Charlestown, Mass. doubles the organization’s program capacity and delivers a broad range of key innovations to its facility design, providing the space and resources needed to significantly enhance the mental healthcare and support services provided to U.S. service members, veterans, and their families dealing with “invisible wounds.” The new facility also combines wellness, nutrition and fitness into a first-of-its-kind brain health center.
Founded in 2009, Home Base is dedicated to healing the invisible wounds, such as traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress, and related mental health conditions, for veterans, service members, and their families through world-class clinical care, wellness, education, and research. Home Base’s touted “National Center of Excellence” reflects a powerful, national shift in the delivery of clinical care and design for the patient experience.
“Home Base is the first and largest private-sector clinic in the nation devoted to helping at-risk veterans and military families regain the lives they once had. Our new home allows us to finally match the top quality of care at Home Base with the space and environment that surrounds it,” said Home Base Executive Director Brigadier General (ret.) Jack Hammond. “As our design partner, MP collaborated with us through an evolutionary process of discovery to create this new center, enabling us to scale our innovative and effective approach to mental health and brain injury care for more veterans, service members, and their families.”
About Margulies Perruzzi As one of New England’s top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi (MP) designs Workplace, Health+Science, and Real Estate projects that inspire and nurture human endeavor.
New collaborative, technology-rich workspace supports productivity for rapidly growing property management software company
Margulies Perruzzi (MP), one of New England’s most innovative architectural and interior design firms, announced today that it has completed the new headquarters for Buildium, the real estate industry’s leading property and association management solution. The 38,000 SF office, located at 3 Center Plaza in downtown Boston, features a dynamic, technology-rich workspace that promotes collaboration among Buildium’s 200+ employees (with room to add 100 more). MP provided space planning and interior design services for the fast-tracked interior design and fit-out for the rapidly growing property management software company.
“The move to a new headquarters aligns with our long-term plans for growth and expansion, and provides us with a vibrant office environment for every work function,” said Mary Dempsey, operations supervisor at Buildium. “From the start of this accelerated project, MP had our best interests in mind and enabled us to make quick decisions, with realistic outcomes, to address our space needs, technology requirements, and collaborative workstyle. MP created a new headquarters beyond our wildest dreams, and our employees were speechless on day one in the new space. We couldn’t be happier.”
With an energetic and modern vibe, the colorful, light-filled workspace enhances employee interaction and collaboration. This focus drove the design as multiple office locations were merging into one space. The open concept office design locates workstations on the perimeter and offers a variety of technology-enabled meeting rooms, huddle areas, and collaboration spaces at the core. The design balances focused workspace with collaboration areas, including a meeting room with unique stadium seating. Open ceilings maximize the daylight from the tall perimeter windows, allowing light to permeate throughout the open office.
A centrally located café, called the “back porch,” offers casual seating and an exciting atmosphere that provides an informal space for staff to work, meet, and socialize, and additionally functions as a town hall meeting space. MP carefully designed a palette that distinctly emphasizes the core as intimate meeting space, while embodying Buildium’s brand and culture through pops of brand colors, environmental graphics, and design elements that were heavily influenced by their logo and website.
Completed on an accelerated project schedule, MP performed full design, from schematic through construction documents, in just eight weeks, about half the time as a standard project of this scale. Elaine Construction provided turnkey construction management services for the Buildium project.
About Buildium
Buildium is the only property management solution that helps real estate professionals win new business from property owners and community associations seeking services. Backed by expert advice and relentless support, Buildium enables you to outperform across all facets of your business with intuitive software that balances power, simplicity, and ease of use. Buildium services customers in more than 50 countries, totaling over 1.9 million residential units under management. In 2015, Buildium acquired All Property Management, a leading online marketing service for property managers, making Buildium the only company to give property managers a way to acquire new customers and increase revenue. For more information, visit Buildium.com, and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
As one of New England’s top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi (MP) designs Workplace, Health+Science, and Real Estate projects that inspire and nurture human endeavor. More information may be found at http://mparchitectsboston.com.
Firm infuses design with history to create authentic charm in sought-after Fort Point neighborhood retail and dining destination
BOSTON, Nov. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Margulies Perruzzi (MP), one of New England’s most innovative architectural and interior design firms, today announced the completion of the Thomson Place retail activation and streetscape project in Boston’s Fort Point neighborhood. Developed by global real estate investment manager Invesco Real Estate and Crosspoint Associates, Inc., MP designed the restoration and repositioning of three historic buildings at 25, 44 and 50 Thomson Place, with new ground-floor retail space and a new pedestrian plaza to create a vibrant retail and dining destination. A video profile of this historic retail renovation may be viewed at
With the conclusion of multiple tenant leases in the buildings, the development team saw the opportunity to convert ground-floor office space to street-level retail, restore the buildings’ architectural luster, and create an active streetscape that reflects the dynamic character of the Fort Point neighborhood. Steeped in history, MP’s design preserved the historic warehouse aesthetic while lowering the floors and window openings to provide accessibility and create sight lines and visual connection from the street. The giant openings once used for unloading goods became glass façades with lighting and signage to draw people into retail and restaurant establishments. To energize and enliven the streetscape, sidewalks were widened in areas to encourage pedestrian traffic, and a new 8,000 SF plaza with open green space was created as a public amenity for dining and performance art. MP and the development team took great care in respecting the historic context of the neighborhood while activating a new retail area for some big name tenants.
“Thomson Place presented a unique opportunity to embrace the authentic character of Fort Point and create a new ‘pocket’ neighborhood on the cusp of the Seaport District,” said John Kiernan, director, asset management for Invesco Real Estate. “MP’s design stayed true to the architectural spirit of the original structures and helped us modernize three historically significant buildings with the 21st century infrastructure sought by office and retail tenants.”
Margulies Perruzzi’s Jason Costello and Joe Flynn presented Home Base with a check for $15,000 on Veteran’s Day during “Project Community: Helping Veterans Heal,” a special telethon event hosted by Randy Price on WCVB Channel 5. The money donated was raised at a fundraiser and silent auction held by Margulies Perruzi on November 6.
Margulies Perruzzi worked with Home Base on their new Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic, completed in 2018. The design includes 20 counseling treatment rooms, 3 large group therapy rooms, 2 exam rooms, lab, Family/Patient Lounge, demonstration/teaching kitchen, recording studio, a multi purpose music/art therapy room, a 1,500 sf Fitness Center, and an exterior deck with healing garden.
Professional support space includes conference, huddle, enclosed work setting phone rooms, patient record, copy and storage spaces. The program is entirely client-focused; there are no private physician offices, and treatment rooms are designed with a comfortable “living room” aesthetic.
The facility, including the fitness center, is fully accessible to accommodate service members with physical disabilities.
For more information on our project for Home Base including footage from WCVB, visit:
Margulies Perruzzi (MP), one of New England’s most innovative architectural and interior design firms, announced today the completion of a new Boston office for Rubin and Rudman LLP, a national general practice law firm with offices in Boston, Washington, DC, and Cape Cod. MP provided space planning and interior design services for Rubin and Rudman’s new 30,000 SF office at 53 State Street in Boston.
Previously located on Boston’s Rowes Wharf, Rubin and Rudman sought an efficient and flexible office space that is more reflective of their clients’ workspaces and provides a greater degree of openness without sacrificing confidentiality. MP’s design features same-size private offices that reduce the need for future construction due to promotions, and that can also be converted to meeting rooms for greater flexibility. Enclosed perimeter spaces are designed with all-glass prefabricated office fronts to maximize daylight penetration as well as promote transparency and a strong visual connection between private offices and workstations. The reception area announces a more modern, yet still classic office design, and ushers visitors into the adjacent conference center offering a suite of conference rooms with coffee bar.
“For nearly a century, Rubin and Rudman attorneys have helped shape the laws of changing times. Today, we strive to remain cutting edge in an ever-changing legal environment, and the design of our new office reflects this mission,” said Laura Long, executive director at Rubin and Rudman. “MP understood our vision and created an efficient, technology-enhanced office that provides flexibility to accommodate future growth. Our modern work environment offers a welcoming and comfortable space where we are proud to welcome clients and guests.”
Wanting to retain the law library, MP’s design integrates shelving throughout the circulation areas to incorporate the library into the new space, eliminating the need for a designated room. Workstations provide operational flexibility for the shifting ratio of support staff to attorneys, and meeting and collaboration areas are equipped with the latest technology. The new staff lounge also doubles as a training space. The updated workplace aesthetic reflects Rubin and Rudman’s modern approach to providing legal services.
Structure Tone served as construction manager for the project, and RDK Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services. Cushman & Wakefield provided OPM services under the direction of Elizabeth Spath.
About Margulies Perruzzi
As one of New England’s top architectural and interior design firms, Margulies Perruzzi (MP) designs Workplace, Health+Science, and Real Estate projects that inspire and nurture human endeavor. More information may be found at www.mparchitectsboston.com.
