As a response to the ongoing quest to reduce energy consumption, chilled beams are experiencing a surge in popularity, according to “Chill Out: A look at passive and active chilled-beam systems,” which appears in the current issue of eco-structure magazine. In the article, Shepley Bulfinch’s Jonathan Baron discusses the importance of understanding a building’s thermal dynamics and the environments for which chilled beam systems are best suited.

In his interview with writer Judith Stock, Jonathan talks about strategies for addressing potential condensation issues, as well as the need for close coordination with ...[more]

It’s dedication day for Harvard’s innovation lab in Boston, but the buzz has been building all fall.

Shepley worked with Harvard to fast-track the creation of Batten Hall and the i-lab, transforming the old studios of WGBH into a high-energy space for campus and community. Say goodbye to the studios where Julia Child and Zoom! were filmed and hello to workshops and wide-open (and wired) spaces.

Or should we say ‘Hi,’ in the spirit of the i-lab’s signature logo, which Shepley created as part of the innovation lab’s brand?

Even before today’s events, i-lab director Gordon ...[more]

Two months before the second anniversary of Haiti’s devastating January 2010 earthquake, the vision of a dignified and productive life for Haitians living with disabilities reached a major milestone this week as construction began on the Center for Rehabilitation and Excellence in St. Marc.

When it opens next year, the 6700 sf facility will transform immediate and long-term delivery of rehabilitation services in central Haiti while dignifying and normalizing the daily lives of people living with disabilities. The center will establish new national standards for rehabilitative care in ...[more]

Shepley Bulfinch’s design of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is cited as a model of how to design for flexible implementation in Richard De Neufville’s new book, “Flexibility in Engineering Design,” pub- lished by MIT Press in September. The original design of the medical center, which opened in 1991, enabled subsequent vertical and horizontal expansion.

The book offers a high-level overview of why flexibility in design is needed to deliver significantly increased value. It describes in detail methods to identify, select, and implement useful flexibility. For Dartmouth-Hitchcock, that meant development and execution of ...[more]

Saint Peter’s College broke ground on the MacMahon Student Center October 26 in a ceremony attended by members of the college community and civic and political leaders.

In his remarks, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healey noted that the 84,000 s.f. building would be transformative not only as Saint Peter’s first student center, but also in its wider role in the revitalization of McGinley Square and Jersey City.

Student Government Association president Venny Turner expressed the anticipation felt by resident and commuter students alike, and called it “Saint Peter’s ...[more]

Bishop Fenwick Place, Xavier University’s new residential and dining complex, was dedicated last month in a ceremony that celebrated the transformational residence and dining complex on the Cincinnati campus.

Fenwick Place is home to 535 sophomores with suite-style living in four connected wings that rise above a green terrace. The terrace also serves as the roof of Hoff Dining Commons, the university’s new central dining facility. The new Commons seats up to 700, while a retail dining component has seating that spills onto the patio outside. The 245,000 square-foot ...[more]

The University of New Mexico’s Science and Math Learning Center in Albuquerque has received LEEDGold certification from the US Green Building Council.

The LEED® for Schools™ rating system under which it was certified addresses core learning areas and requires higher performance standards for air quality, acoustics, daylighting, and thermal comfort than other LEED programs. 

The project deploys a wide range of sustainable design strategies and techniques that focus on enhancing the learning environment and fulfills the University’s commitment to establishing a green footprint.

The Science and Math Learning ...[more]

The healing power of the award-winning Hollander Healing Garden of Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven is celebrated in the October 2011 issue of Health Facilities Management. Its recognition as a distinctive design element of note is the latest in the magazine’s monthly “Last Detail” feature.

The 2,500 square foot rooftop garden, located on the 7th floor of the hospital, is an oasis of calm in one of the densest parts of downtown New Haven, Connecticut. It is one of a number of elements in the hospital that draw ...[more]