ADD Inc completes design of 500,000 s/f One Channel Center; Final phase of $175 million project developed by Commonwealth Ventures

ADD Inc, now with Stantec, completed the design of One Channel Center, the final phase of the seven-acre Channel Center master plan, a 2.1 million s/f mixed-use development by Commonwealth Ventures. The $175 million project is located at 1 Iron St. in the Fort Point Channel in the city's Innovation District, the largest urban redevelopment near a major downtown area in the country. The 500,000 s/f, 11-story structure is home to 4,000 employees of State Street Bank and is part of a multi-building masterplan that includes a new two-acre park and a ten-level, 900-car garage. The design team's vision for the project was based on a digital vortex, a concept that aligns with the technology-focused culture of State Street Bank, the building's only tenant. In order to reduce the apparent scale of the building, the design team divided it into three parts. Two volumes flank a sloping glass curtain wall entry façade at the building's center. The curtain wall is a design gesture that breaks down the visual scale of the building, delineates its entry, and it transforms to a shimmering light display at night. The two masonry sides of the building incorporate textured red and brown precast concrete, which resembles brick and terracotta in a nod to neighboring historic warehouses. Colored glass panels punctuate the façade and evoke the whirling activity of the office within. Designed to thread into the neighborhood context, the two-story lobby is a portal between the historic warehouses on Channel Center St. and the new park on the building's southern edge and features local art. One Channel Center features many green elements, such as continuous insulation on facades, efficient mechanical systems (HVAC), recycled and local materials, such as structural steel and precast concrete, and low VOC materials that improve indoor air quality. The building is expected to attain LEED Silver Certification. ADD Inc, an award-winning architecture, interior design, planning and branding firm with offices in Boston and Miami, has joined Stantec's Buildings Group, a team of more than 2,500 design and allied professionals working in over 90 offices across North America. This evolution of ADD Inc gives our talented designers access to Stantec's world-class resources and multi-disciplinary expertise, which will enhance the design creativity and capability they bring to projects and position their team to work in locations worldwide. ADD Inc's strong reputation for design excellence and our deep expertise in multi-family housing, workplace interiors, commercial/mixed-use buildings, college and university projects, and branding enhance Stantec's existing capabilities in the Northeast and Gulf Coast. Through this partnership, they can go anywhere to support their clients' dynamic needs in even more creative, collaborative, and personalized ways.