West Broadway Hotel Reveals Columns

Today the formwork, molds into which concrete or similar materials are poured, was removed from the first of seven monumental columns at the 6 West Broadway Hotel.

These sculptural elements will have a large visual impact becoming a gateway to South Boston, and also define the outdoor space at the front of the hotel, on the corner of West Broadway and Dorchester Ave.

The process to design and craft these 26' and 36' tall columns had many steps and involved a great deal of consultant coordination. The RODE team worked with structural engineers at McNamara Salvia to establish guidelines to meet structural requirements and inform the faceted design. After many design iterations that utilized the computer program Rhino to shape the form, 3d printing to model the columns, and Revit to document the design, Consigli Construction built three mockups and the final reusable two-part fiberglass formwork to produce a smooth finish with crisp facets and elegant eased corners.

RODE is excited to share a sneak peek of these powerful elements before they're wrapped to protect them from construction activity until the hotel opens. #ShapingBoston