An urban living room: connecting occupants to the city, extending an invitation to linger

At a Glance

  • 97%

    Post Renovation Lease Rate

  • $11M

    Construction Value

Location
Boston, Massachusetts
Offices
Client
  • Oxford Properties
Partners
  • RDK Engineers
  • LeMessurier Consultants
  • Copley Wolff Design Group
  • HDLC Architectural Lighting
Award
Best Building Repositioning and Building Amenities, New England Chapter of the IIDA 2018

125 Summer Street Lobby Repositioning

Located at the intersection of the Boston’s Financial District and Downtown Crossing neighborhood, 125 Summer Street is a 22-story office tower that was completed in 1990. However, the existing first floor common areas were spaces to pass through, not linger. As a part of the City fabric, the building hid in plain sight.

To improve the building’s visibility and enrich the sense of approach, our renovation shifted the primary entrance toward the neighboring Rose Kennedy Greenway and Dewey Square; primary pedestrian and vehicular nodes that have grown in prominence in recent decades. A welcoming, stainless-steel-clad, curtain-wall portal introduces a direct visual connection between the building’s occupants and the city beyond.

A promise of hospitality offered to passersby is provided inside by using warm tones, natural materials, and lighting calibrated to communicate a sense of ease. The volume of the space is organized through careful use of architectural accents and placement of furniture chosen to suit a variety of activities. 

The lobby is crafted to be a third space, neither street nor suite, that springs to life when tenants and the public use it to gather, unwind, or conduct business. The building achieved nearly 100% occupancy within six months of the repositioning.

At a Glance

  • 97%

    Post Renovation Lease Rate

  • $11M

    Construction Value

Location
Boston, Massachusetts
Offices
Client
  • Oxford Properties
Partners
  • RDK Engineers
  • LeMessurier Consultants
  • Copley Wolff Design Group
  • HDLC Architectural Lighting
Award
Best Building Repositioning and Building Amenities, New England Chapter of the IIDA 2018