PERSPECTIVES

Last week, Eric Robinson, principal of RODE, participated in New England Real Estate Journal’s Retail and Restaurant 2016 Summit on the “Retail Construction, Design Trends” panel.  

One of the highlights from this event was the discussion around the marketing buzzword omni-channeling and its impact on the built environment. Omni channeling describes the evolution of the traditional user experience into a seamless one where consumers can engage with a company in a physical store, on an online website or mobile app, through a catalog, or through social media.

Eric discussed this trend as it relates to the work of RODE, where the development of our designs are now incorporating this seamless experience within our mixed use projects in order to meet the expectations of today’s users. We achieve this by blending the hospitality experience between the individual units, residential lobbies and the typical restaurant space. The integration of ‘omni-channeling’ in architecture causes the once clearly defined lines of living and amenity space to become blurred, resulting in a more thoughtful and wholesome “blank” experience.

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A RODE Team has been started for Movember 2016. For the entire month of M(N)ovember each 'mo bro must grow and groom a mustache and conduct himself like a true gentlemen... We are using the power of the mustache to create conversations about men's health and to raise funds for cancer research and mental health.

Check back here at the end of the month to see the progress of RODE's fantastically groomed mustaches.

Donate to our team here: https://us.movember.com/team/2248483

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At RODE, we’re always looking at noteworthy projects beyond our own work, as we’re passionate about design, and the neighborhoods where we live. That love of architecture has brought our attention to the Boynton Yards neighborhood, which is among the oldest and most active industrial areas in Somerville. The 34 acres of land, located along the Miller’s River in the southeastern section of Somerville, near both Boston and Cambridge, was ideally situated for the myriad of industries pouring into the city. By the mid-nineteenth century train lines were built atop the filled river transforming the area into the center of the meatpacking industry for greater Boston.

Fast forward 150 years - the scream of slaughter houses has long disappeared and the train lines that once hauled pigs, cows, and coal, now transport commuters to and from Boston. However, Boynton Yards as a whole has retained much of its industrial past and today the neighborhood is characterized primarily by large manufacturing structures, repair shops, and scrap yards. Large expanses of empty lots and derelict buildings blanket the ever shrinking gap between Somerville and Cambridge, and the area is on the brink of transformation.

This change is barreling down the tracks towards the neighborhood at full speed in the form of the proposed Green Line extension. With $393 million granted in funding, new Union Sq. and Washington St. stations will extend the Green Line into Somerville, linking the currently isolated Boynton Yards into the MBTA network, and radically rewriting the future of this neighborhood. It’s Predictable that such a profoundly underdeveloped area so close to Boston is suddenly becoming woven into the transportation network and catching the attention of developers. The questions now being asked to architects are: what will this place become? How do we create dense, thriving urban neighborhoods where none have been before? And most importantly, how do Somerville’s unique values and identities translate into a new built environment?

The challenge to architects and urban planners is multifaceted and complex, but can be boiled down to the notion that currently there is nothing there. Despite being within walking distance of Harvard, MIT, Kendall, Central, Inman, and Union Squares to name a few, within Boynton Yards itself there are few significant destinations, no mass transportation options. Instead, there are only dark large-scale industrial blocks creating an eerie sense of forgotten placeless-ness. As development rapidly explodes into this void, key questions must be asked that take into account a comprehensive understanding the context of Boynton Yards and how this epicenter of new development will enhance the livability of Somerville for all.

We’re excited to see what unfolds and hope to be a part of the conversation.

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With Summer starting to be in the rearview mirror, the Fall is already cranking full speed ahead at RODE. Our eyes were on the BK last week as demolition began on the Ferrara Brothers Concrete Facility in Brooklyn, NY (bordering the Park Slope neighborhood), and the team is excited to see two of our industrial projects in collaboration with NYC EDC moving forward. We’ve been using interesting flood protection technologies for both of these projects due to the close proximity to the water. We also set out to design iconic structures that will make the waterfront of the Sunset Park neighborhood a lot more stimulating. See our project site for more information, and Architect Magazine talked about our work in this arena as well.

With everyone wrapping up their summer reading, its worth noting that if you are interested in this particular area of Brooklyn, many of us at RODE have found “The Power Broker” by Robert A. Caro is a great read (and for us was an invaluable resource). Caro explains how vibrant and significant 3th Ave was for the neighborhood, and how it deteriorated with the introductions of the elevated Highway. It’s incredible to think how lively the neighborhood could’ve been if Robert Moses had taken into account pleads from resident to build the highway on 2nd Ave instead.  

This is just one example of how we’ve taken note of history here at RODE Architects as we aim to better our neighborhoods through design in Boston (and beyond). Side note: The Power Broker is also in Boston Mayor Walsh’s suggested reading list as part of Imagine Boston 2030. So, if you still have time squeeze a few more reading sessions in before summer is completely gone, we suggest checking out this list.

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The robots are taking over! 3D printing has increasingly become a tool used by architects for the construction of scale models. While many people are familiar with the traditional model building techniques, which involve cutting flat pieces of materials such as wood, plastic, and paper,  piecing them together with glue, 3D printing offers a clean, digital alternative. 3D printing allows architects to create building models using computer programs that translate digital design to three dimensional objects with a printer, which lays down successive layers of a material until the model is created.

The benefits and reasons to use 3D Printing over the traditional method of model building include:

• The geometries are too complex to model accurately by hand, especially when a design curves in more than one direction, such as shapes tapering and twisting.  
• Small scale options allow the designer to switch in and out of a site base.  
• Duplicate copies of the same model are needed for promotional use.

Reasons to stick with traditional model building:

• Large elements like a base/site model can be cost and time prohibitive with a 3D printer.  
• It can be difficult to represent different materials – while 3D printers can print in different colors, using different colored resins to represent materials, it can leave the model looking like a toy. With current technology - white or clear models are best used to show form, not materiality.

Feast your eyes on the hypnotic printing process –3D printers are so dynamic, they can even print parts for themselves! Click HERE to see how they work.  

Here’s the process:

1. Create a three dimensional digital model. Most projects are modeled in a 3D program like Revit from the very beginning.  
2. Choose the type of printer. Each printer has size limitations that will help determine how big your model can actually be produced without seams.  
3. When the scale of your model is finalized, and you know the level of detail that will actually show up in the print at that scale, take the Revit/digital model and rebuild it in its most simple parts, removing unnecessary elements. Those 3D toilets inside the model are the first things to go!  
4. Print the model and allow time for the layers to progress – this can take the majority of a day depending on level of detail and size.  
5. Clean up excess material and rough edges.

Carefully follow these steps and your final result can look just as great as our model for the Winthrop Square proposal posted here!

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