PERSPECTIVES
As a Senior at Cristo Rey Boston High School, I've had the opportunity to do an internship with RODE Architects. This experience has really opened my eyes to the importance of architecture. I’ve learned that architecture is a form of art that and adds beauty and solves real world problems.
We walk by buildings every day with different colors, styles, and uses for different types of communities. But we usually don’t take the time to acknowledge how well-thought-out the buildings are, and the details that go into their design. During my time here at RODE I’ve had the chance to sit in on design meetings and see how a project is planned. How much space is needed and how the building is going to affect the surrounding communities are some of the most important things talked about in meetings. The efficiency of energy, water, and other resources is also thoroughly discussed.
Many of RODE’s projects demonstrate a focus on the environment. RODE’s design for E+ Mission Hill includes a public garden and private residences. The residential building design focused on efficiency and performance. For example, tripled-paned windows provide energy and window shading and the solar hot water panels turn heat into hot water.
E+ Mission Hill
RODE’s NY Concrete Facility is currently under construction and took on another challenge. Energy consumption was one of the things they worked on reducing, but their main focus was to design a building that retains an industrial design but blends in with the nearby residential zone. RODE’s design added well-lit paths around the perimeter of the facility to promote walkability and blend together industrial and residential zones. I understand from this project that it’s important to know how a building’s design will affect the community, not just how good looking the building is.
NY Concrete Facility
RODE also designed Passive House certified homes in West Roxbury called Brucewood. These homes are designed and built in a special way that uses minimal energy for heating and cooling throughout the seasons. They are extremely sustainable and use less resources. They are also beautiful and their natural materials make them fit nicely into the residential neighborhood.
Brucewood
The architects here at RODE emphasize the importance of environmental and community impact in everything they design. I’ve learned how important it is for architecture to work to solve real problems while also adding beauty to the world. From start to finish, the best architecture puts the community and environment first.
RODE is excited to announce that Neponset Wharf was approved by the BPDA Board this evening. The approval marks a significant milestone for the project, and represents years of collaboration among the team, local community members, and city and state agencies.
This mixed-use residential, office, and marina project is at the forefront of waterfront development for the City. The striking contemporary wharf language of the architecture embraces the history of the site while projecting a model for coastal development. Passive House design will ensure the residential units meet the highest standards of energy efficiency, and extensive resiliency measures protect the future residents while buffeting the longevity of Boston's shoreline.
This week, the proposal for a new 75,000 SF recreation facility on Columbus Point was filed with the city of Boston. Designed by RODE, the future Dorchester Fieldhouse which will include an indoor turf field, track and hard courts as well as a dance studio, theatre, training facility, café, cooking kitchen, nutrition center, classrooms, and more.
We have worked closely with our clients, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dorchester and the Martin Richard Foundation to ensure the facility meets the needs of the community. The project came to fruition through the collaborative efforts of our team—The Green Engineer, Howard Stein Hudson, Goulston & Storrs, Lee Kennedy Company, LAM Lighting & Design, BET Building Envelope Technologies, LeMessurier, Cosentini Associates, BR + A Consulting Engineers, Haley & Aldrich, Stoss Landscape Urbanism, Dot Joyce Consulting, CSL Consulting, and Joyce Strategies LLC.
Wednesday’s filing with the Boston Planning & Development Agency will kick off a formal city review of the project and we are thrilled to see this exciting and transformative project come to life. The Fieldhouse aims to be a welcoming and inclusive recreational space for members of all ages to gather and connect.
To read the full article from the Boston Globe, click here.
UPDATE: After graduating in 2023, Molly joined RODE as a full time employee!
After a long year of remote everything, RODE was pleased to welcome Molly Gagnon to our office and team. Currently in her fifth year at Northeastern University, Molly is pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Architecture and joined our team for her semester co-op. Since being at RODE, Molly has been an active team member, helping out on a variety of tasks—everything from hauling foam on a Passive House construction site to façade work for a large-scale residential building to organizing project data for marketing initiatives. When asked why she chose RODE for her co-op experience she explained,
"RODE has done a bunch of interesting projects, from a concrete facility to trendy hotels and everything in between. I also spoke to a former RODE co-op and learned about the firm's laid back, collaborative, and exciting office culture. I was sold on wanting to join the team."
For her very last assignment, we asked her to share her experience with our firm...
One thing I learned from working at RODE is that design doesn’t have to be boring. From projects to events, there always seems to be something exciting going on in the office. Having just spent over a year in online classes, being able to be back in a collaborative and spontaneous working environment was something that I was really looking forward to. Working at RODE felt like a return to the architecture school studio environment that I really enjoy, albeit with more regular hours. Being able to turn to a person, rather than a computer to get answers to questions, feedback, or just talk to someone was great, and I feel that it contributed to how quickly I felt like I was a part of the RODE team, rather than “just an intern”.
I found that RODE takes “work hard, play hard” seriously. I’ve had the pleasure of attending numerous Lunch and Learns, Trade Shows, Hive Workshops, happy hour and networking events, birthdays, promotions, site visits and holiday parties during my six months here, as well as finding the time to train and run in an 8K or go apple picking with my colleagues. I’ve also had the opportunity to help in the construction and lay down the foundations for what will hopefully be Boston’s first certified Passive House project! It feels like every week that there’s always something to look forward to socially, and even as I’m writing this now, I’m thinking about when I should make my cookies for our holiday bake-off and cookie drive for the Pine Street Inn.
The work is nonetheless exciting too. Though I’ve only worked on a few projects during my time here, I’ve had the opportunity to be exposed to and work on various stages of design. From building massing models for an addition to an existing building, to ensuring that the positions of light switches in an apartment all made sense, along with making sure that bathroom plumbing and door hardware are all accounted for, I’ve learned that designing at all scales is important for the overall impact of a building, both spatially and environmentally. Of course, none of this can be done without thorough project management, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with project managers and architects that are great at staying in-tune with their projects as well as with their team members. I was able to aid in making presentation materials for community and client meetings, and learn from RODE’s approach and talent for presenting design intent and ideas to a wide audience.
The past six months went by like a whirlwind. I’m sad for my second co-op experience to come to an end, but I’m also excited to see what RODE has in store in the future, and to be able to see the projects I worked on come to life. I hope to take everything I’ve learned about architecture, design and maintaining a healthy workplace back to classes, grad school and the rest of my professional career.
We wish you the best with the rest of your time at Northeastern and hope you'll come back and visit us, Molly!
As we wrap up 2021, Jessica Haley, RODE’s Head of Interior’s, shared the interior team’s perspective on what trends will be omnipresent in the hospitality industry in 2022. Head to HOTEL Magazine to read the full piece: https://www.hotelsmag.com/blog/escapism-in-design-fits-the-moment/.