Facades+ Conference in Boston, USA to Focus on Local Architectural Projects and Showcase 39 Building Product Companies

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Facades+ conference series in the United States was held on July 23 at the Boston Westin Copley Place Hotel, co-chaired by Bruner / Cott Architects. The event focused on comprehensive case studies of recent local projects and featured a roundtable discussion on the feasibility of bio-based materials. Concurrently, the Methods + Materials exhibition showcased 39 building product companies.

In the presentation titled "Of Possible x NS Builders – Conceive and Build Ideas," Vincent Appel of Of Possible and Nick Schiffer of NS Builders presented three recently completed residential facade case studies from the perspectives of design, construction, and documentation. They discussed how concepts from the project design planning phase were optimized during construction and what can be achieved in the high-performance facade realm under moderate and larger budgets. The session was moderated by Jason Jewhurst, Partner and Principal at Bruner / Cott Architects.

In the session "Identity in Context: Beyond the Curtain of La CASA," Danniely Staback Rodríguez, Senior Architect at STUDIO ENÉE, and Rita Terjeki, Associate at Annum Architects, explored the design of La CASA. This building is a new mixed-use community space and arts center totaling 26,500 square feet, built by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) and designed by STUDIO ENÉE and Annum Architects, aiming to provide and promote community gathering spaces within Boston's modern urban landscape. The session was moderated by Stephanie Salsman, Associate at Bruner / Cott Architects.

In the session "Environmentally Responsive Facades: Amherst Student Center and Dining Complex," Mehmet Noyan, Associate Director at Herzog & de Meuron; Gerry Gutierrez, Director of the Technical Resources Group at Sasaki; and Justin Den Herder, Principal at TYLin, shared the design and engineering details of the mass timber facade for the new student center and dining complex at Amherst College. The building is located at the center of the campus, offering panoramic views of the Holyoke Range. The session was moderated by George Gard, Senior Associate at Bruner / Cott Architects.

In the roundtable discussion titled "Bio-Based Enclosures," Chris Hardy, Design Director at MASS Design Group; Billy Craig, Owner of BC Productions; and Suzanne Robinson, Sustainability Director at LeMessurier, explored the challenges and opportunities of bio-based materials currently available for large-scale construction. The session was moderated by Christopher Nielsen, Senior Associate at Bruner / Cott Architects.

In the session "Gund Hall: Finding Collaborative Solutions for a Modernist Landmark," the project team responsible for the renovation of Gund Hall, designed by John Andrews—George Gard, Senior Associate at Bruner / Cott Architects; Troy Hein, Preconstruction Manager at Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope; and John Jackson, Associate Principal at SGH—presented their approach to addressing issues of ventilation, leakage, extreme temperatures, glare, and dark spaces. Through archival research, user insights, advanced modeling tools, and a detailed design-assist process, the team achieved the renovation goals for Harvard Graduate School of Design's Gund Hall without compromising Andrews' design intent. The session was moderated by Jason Jewhurst, Partner and Principal at Bruner / Cott Architects.