Project overview: The Rivermark Tower project comprised an occupied renovation of two 1970s-era apartment buildings along the Charles River. The buildings, located at 808-812 Memorial Drive, house 300 mixed-income apartments of varying sizes, approximately 38,000 square feet of commercial space, and five levels of parking. A significant goal of the project was to improve residents’ comfort and security, while also strengthening their sense of community and identity.
To achieve a sleek, modern look while improving energy performance and boosting air filtration to improve indoor air quality to increase residents’ comfort, more than 320,000 square feet of the towers’ ribbed face concrete façades were overclad with a custom, unitized 12-inch-thick panel wall system. Installation of the new, high-performance façade and window systems refreshed the appearance of the building, supported mechanical system upgrades, and significantly reduced residents’ cost of living. The 12-inch thick insulated overclad assembly was detailed to maintain large operable windows and private terraces for each residence. Access to fresh air, daylight, and view of the Charles River were all important to the tenant community.
A critical goal of this work was to avoid the displacement of families and individuals during the process. To achieve this, the firm refined its approach to the design, installation, and phasing of the project, developing an overcladding system comprising a panelized skin that could be assembled offsite and lifted into place. Once the building was fully enclosed, existing windows were removed from the interior as the last step of assembly.
Project location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Firm name: Bruner/Cott Architects
Architect of Record: Bruner/Cott Architects
Completion: 2022
Jury comments: The innovative use of a cladding system to improve energy and rebrand the building works well. The added complication of keeping residents in place during construction, while reskinning the facade, adds an impressive level of coordination to the design.
Client: Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc.
Images/Photographer(s): Oval Room Group General Contractor: NEI General Contracting Civil Engineer: Nitsch Engineering Specifications: Kalin Associates Structural: Thornton Tomasetti Mechanical: Petersen Engineering Electrical: Petersen Engineering Plumbing: Petersen Engineering Landscaping: Ground Inc EGC/Sustainability: New Ecology Envelope: Curtainwall Design & Consulting Envelope: Building Evolution Corporation Cladding Consultant/Fabricator: Sunrise Erectors
