Broad Institute Expansion | 75 Ames Street | Cambridge - Kendall Sq

Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

Here's what cca regards as successful lab buildings:

cca said:
So ... here are two spec labs that are what I would consider high quality.

This one is a project by Alexandria Real Estate in New York.

Alexandria Center

This one is interesting because it uses cheap materials, it is in Cambridge, it is designed by Elkus and it is a very nice project both urbanely, aesthetically, and it is a spec lab building.

Given that Elkus did both this and Broad, I have to assume that it was less about the architect/designer and more to do with the values of the owner (developer).

150 Second Street

So .. .there you are. This is my opinion. I am not trying to be combative at all, just putting my experience and opinion out there.

cca
Click to expand...
Alexandria Center is nice, yes. Appropriate for the Broad expansion? Probably not.

150 Second St is especially hated on here and most of us have likened it to a High School.
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

stellarfun said:
NIH extensive design specifications for biomedical and animal research facilities.
http://orf.od.nih.gov/PoliciesAndGu.../DesignRequirementsManualTableofContents.aspx

Don't know whether these apply to facilities that NIH helps fund, or that the CDC funds (e.g., BU's lab).

Construction costs for 75 Ames are nearly $1,400 a sq ft.
Click to expand...

NIH guidelines are required when NIH funding or grants are involved, but may still be used (selectively) on any lab as this an the BMBL are the only real "guides" out there for good engineering and design practice on labs.

However, following NIH guidelines to the letter when you don't have to will get very expensive with their requirements for dual EVERYTHING.

USDA guidelines or requirements may also come into play in your animal facilities.
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

resisttheist said:
Sure, the streetwall is necessary for shaping the urban space of a street, but what exactly is so successful about this particular street to begin with? This building doesn't do anything to improve this as a place to be. As for the second part, I happen to disagree with Rem Koolhaas' assertion that the trappings of capitalism are the only real remaining social and civic provisions. That's what ground floor retail equates to: shopping. That, in my mind, is not architecture. There are plenty of options for public amenity that don't require one to go shopping.

If the work carried out within results in thousands of cures for dreadful diseases, then the building will have done its good. Unfortunately, it is not going to give back in any other areas.
Click to expand...

You, you are right. There is no point in having shops for neighborhood pedestrians in a building 1000 ft from a T station.

Sorry, I'm not willing to give up hope for Kendall Square just because it mostly sucks today. Ames St has some ground floor business at Main St and some at Broadway. Now it will have some more in between. People might spend more time walking along Ames rather than cutting through the Marriott. Anything that makes Ames a more pleasant and attractive street to even just walk along, if not actually spend any dirty money, is a major ARCHITECTURAL contribution to the urban space.

All your high minded archi-babble is fine, as long as the building adds to the street. If it doesn't, then it doesn't need to be 1000 feet from the T. Send it to 128. Or ANYWHERE else. Shopping, eating, and socializing are things that even hippy commies do. This is a very good place to do them.

What would you suggest as use for this ground floor that is more enlightened?
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

Image is of a new biological / chemical engineering lab building at Stanford. Cost about $500 a sq ft. Designed to accommodate over 240 vent hoods, which they did by building horizontally. Opening in 2014.

Bioengeering-Charts-New-Directions_Large.jpg


Always be suspicious of what one is getting for a facade when a lab building is rendered at night.
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

10470707015_82a6530c9e_b.jpg


10471589023_4c92d5df5e_b.jpg


10471566793_edfb6b6a87_b.jpg
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

fattony said:
...Sorry, I'm not willing to give up hope for Kendall Square just because it mostly sucks today. Ames St has some ground floor business at Main St and some at Broadway. Now it will have some more in between. People might spend more time walking along Ames rather than cutting through the Marriott. ....

All your high minded archi-babble is fine, as long as the building adds to the street. .... Shopping, eating, and socializing are things that even hippy commies do. This is a very good place to do them.

What would you suggest as use for this ground floor that is more enlightened?
Click to expand...

FT --- MIT is deeply into early design for redo, upgrade, renovate of potentially several million sq ft. which is ether "Campus Backlot" or else part of MIT's private REIT

Check-out these two links:

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/kendall-square-initiative-moves-toward-design-phase.html

Kendall Square initiative moves toward design phase
Urban-design firm to be selected; community meetings will be set for fall.

City of Cambridge approves MIT’s zoning petition
April 9, 2013

MIT president, senior faculty and deans ask Cambridge to approve MIT’s zoning proposal
APR 02, 2013

This fall, MIT will select an urban-design firm to help it develop and complete a design plan for the redevelopment of Institute-owned property in Kendall Square.

In April, MIT’s rezoning petition for its Kendall Square initiative was approved by the Cambridge City Council following a three-year, community-wide effort to align the interests of a broad group of stakeholders around the future vision for Kendall Square. The Council’s approval gives MIT the ability to propose up to 1.1 million square feet of new development, which will be a combination of housing, retail, lab, commercial and open space. MIT also continues to have the right to 800,000 square feet in new academic development, which it had prior to the rezoning petition.....
Click to expand...

and the website for the Kendall Square Initiative
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/kendall-square/

MIT's Kendall Square Initiative
On April 8, 2013, the City of Cambridge approved MIT’s petition to transform 26 acres of Institute-owned property in the Kendall Square/East Campus area in order to bring new vibrancy to the Kendall Square Innovation District. The new zoning preserves existing academic development potential and enables the creation of new housing, retail, lab and commercial space, as well as more engaging open space and wayfinding. Below you will find news stories describing the evolving proposal since May 2010 with links to MIT’s public presentations, and an array of related news articles. The full text of the new zoning language and MIT’s letter of commitment are also available for download.
Click to expand...
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

Czervik.Construction said:
This building is like a linebacker from your college football team, pushing people out of the way in line at the dining hall. What a bruiser.
Click to expand...

following that analogy it is also unconventionally handsome
 
I'm really looking forward to the changes coming to Ames St. First with this ground floor getting retail tenants and then with the big residential tower that was recently approved. I guess that will be a couple years before it contributes.
 
Re: 75 Ames St. (Broad Institute Expansion) Kendall Sq.

stellarfun said:
Image is of a new biological / chemical engineering lab building at Stanford. Cost about $500 a sq ft. .
Click to expand...

The big difference here is that this is conceived and paid for by an institution that will own and maintain it for 50+ years, and an institution that has very strict architectural standards.

Broad is a developer based building in which "get it done" is the prevailing styles of approach.

Its a REALLY different game.

cca
 
Admittedly, this is the first day that I decided to check this thread out. I haven't seen the progress of this building in a while. I really like this building a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top