Foundry 101 : Historic factory reimagined as community arts hub
Foundry 101, a transformed 1890s brick and timber industrial manufacturing facility, is a vibrant, flexible, richly activated arts and community hub that grew from a comprehensive and inclusive community process. Situated at the intersection of the Kendall Square Innovation District and the residential neighborhood of East Cambridge, Foundry 101 is a contemporary nexus for visual and performing arts, entrepreneurship, technology, and workforce education. Join us to tour this repurposed historic structure and discover how reopening the atrium, moving the entry floor to grade, and combining existing masonry and modern systems created an accessible, all-electric, LEED Gold center.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the building systems required to operate multi-purpose spaces in addition to office spaces, including acoustical accommodations between various occupancies.
- Identify design strategies used to celebrate the historic structure while enabling universal access to the site, building, and its program areas.
- Identify key coordination strategies of the design team and various City components including Historical Commissions, Public Works, Traffic and Parking, and Arts Commissions.
- Familiarize themselves with site strategies when dealing with a historic existing structure in a challenging site as well as the soil remediation strategies required for the project