The centrepiece of MIT’s ambitious Kendall Square development consists of a flat tower with an evocative cladding system of folded anodized aluminum panels situated atop a podium of interconnected renovated structures. NADAAA outfitted the residence for grad students, with amenities (retail spaces, gyms, community kitchens and a child care centre) to meet its inhabitants’ various needs. The structure is equally generous toward its neighbours: It’s oriented north–south so that it doesn’t obstruct pre-existing sightlines onto the nearby Charles River, and it allows optimal light onto Main Street. That courteousness is important, since the building isn’t going anywhere; with its high-performance energy systems and durable concrete structure, it’s built to last 100 years.
Team Nader Tehrani, Katherine Faulkner and Harry Lowd (NADAAA), David Damon and Andrew Grote (Perkins&Will) with Tom Beresford (NADAAA); Grace Nugroho (Perkins&Will); David J. Odeh (Odeh Engineers); Mark Walsh-Cooke (ARUP); Christopher O’Hara (Studio NYL); Atelier Ten; Hargreaves Jones; Landworks Studio
With its high-performance energy systems and durable concrete structure, MIT Site 4 is built to last 100 years.