Construction begins on Perkins Eastman designed 120 Kingston Street

Perkins Eastman joins RODE Architects, Planeta Basque Interior Design, and R. G. Vanderweil Engineers LLP to celebrate the start of construction of the residences at 120 Kingston St. According to previously published sources, the construction cost for this project is $127 million. The team continues to work closely with the development team consisting of Forest City-Boston and The Hudson Group, along with the construction management team at Suffolk Construction, to bring to life the design of the 26-story residential and mixed-use building. The 292,000 s/f high-rise tower, located along the Rose Kennedy Greenway bordering Chinatown and the Leather District within the downtown area, is scheduled to open in late 2014. The residential portion of the building will include 240 rental units, consisting of 18 studio apartments, 175 one-bedroom units, 43 two-bedroom units, and four three-bedroom units. Those residing on the upper floors will have views of either the Boston Common or Waterfront. In addition to the residential units, the building will also include a three-level parking garage, a retail component, a gym, and a restaurant. The restaurant will offer a seating area and a large outdoor patio. Going off a previous schematic design, Perkins Eastman led the design development process, working collaboratively with the owner, developer, and construction manager to improve building efficiencies and reduce the construction budget. The team redesigned the building's core while reducing the number of parking floors from four to three without reducing actual parking capacity-allowing greater floor-to-floor heights within the same envelope. The building's skin was re-imagined to achieve greater efficiencies of the prefabricated elements and window wall systems. All of the units were redesigned to accommodate the rotation of the core, allowing the standardization of bathrooms and kitchen types within the curved triangular footprint of the building. The interior redesign was a collaborative process with the ownership group, associated architect RODE Architects, and Planeta Basque. Vanderweil is responsible for the design of the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, security, and audiovisual systems. The engineering services were designed to comply with the Stretch Energy Code, which requires that the building consume 20% less energy than the energy code minimum performance requirements. Sustainable design elements include: integrated facility design comprised of an optimized heat pump system and envelope design; lighting power densities; low-discharge cooling towers; heat recovery systems; and low-flow plumbing fixtures. The building's design is targeting LEED Silver certification. Perkins Eastman is among the top design and architecture firms in the world. With 700 employees in 13 locations around the globe, Perkins Eastman practices at every scale of the built environment. From niche buildings to complex projects that enrich whole communities, the firm's portfolio reflects a dedication to progressive and inventive design that enhances the quality of the human experience. The firm's portfolio includes high-end residential, commercial, hotels, retail, office buildings, and corporate interiors, to schools, hospitals, museums, senior living, and public sector facilities.