ICA Boston | South Center

Portman Prize Studio | Spring 2019

Instructor: Jude LeBlanc

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Situated at the convergence of South Boston, Fort Point, and the South End areas of Boston, Massachusetts. The building lot lying between West 4th and Traveler Street along the rail sidings that line the Bass River holds an Art Centre that acts as an extension to the ICA Boston as well as an independent unit of it.  The program incorporates public (marketplace), semi-public (art center) and private (artist-in studios) zones complementing the residential and industrial character of a rapid redeveloping urban neighborhoods. 

The project explores the architectural potentials of emerging mass timber structural technologies and the technical and environmental implications of material systems and construction assemblies. The site connects W 4th Street and Foundry Street physically along with establishing and cherishing the symbolic relationship between trade and rails. The closed circulation loop formed across the site promotes the art character of the building. The individual concepts involved in the designing of the different zones of the building complex compliment the nature of the space and its relationships with each other.