Boston Public Market | Architerra

Boston Public Market designed by Architerra, The design of the first public market in the country to feature local, the sustainable food reflects the triumph of place-making and architectural creativity over mind-boggling infrastructure complexity, transforming the ground floor of a previously vacant state office building into a vibrant destination that anchors a growing market district.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

User Experience, Crisply detailed white canopies of corrugated metal are evenly washed with up-lights, creating luminous canted ceilings that vault over 40 distinctive vendor stalls. Rectangular pylons clad in metallic copper laminate conceal utility risers and simulate a pillared market hall. Pendant lights of copper and silver define the aisles and central hub and evoke a culinary theme. With overhead utilities left in shadow and copious use of salvaged barn board, the overall ambiance is that of a bustling market street at twilight.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

Vendor Experience, Creative stall, and signage designs are encouraged to express individual vendor personalities while exacting tenant design standards safeguard the appearance and performance market as a whole. An ingenious system of regularized rental modules, sign supports, and plug-and-play utility service connections ease vendor start-up and support flexible change over time. Aisle layouts and selling walls are designed to maximize rentable area and encourage visitor/grower-seller interaction while integrated LEED track lighting highlights the bounty of food and optimizes retail sales.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

Infrastructure Ingenuity, The design reconciles extreme site constraints – Central Artery Tunnel, ventilation shafts, Haymarket subway station, parking garage, and new Registry of Motor Vehicles – with complex infrastructure requirements. With no basement, sub-floor utilities had to be designed within a raised slab. With no ceiling plenum, overhead utilities had to be thread through a morass of existing infrastructure serving the upper office floors.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

The design integrates seven entrances, drawing visitors and residents from all parts of the city. The Teaching Kitchen and Market Hub create memorable urban destinations. Through displays, signage and active instruction, the entire market is designed as a platform for public education. Building- scale signs, exterior lighting, and window decals designed as part of the project announced the market as the cornerstone of the emerging market district.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

Sustainability, The new market supports local agriculture and promotes land conservation while reducing carbon emissions associated with food transport by air. Ninety percent of all the food sold in the market is grown, caught or produced in Massachusetts, supporting the local economy. The design minimizes energy and water use while providing for recycling and composting. Designed to meet LEED standards for Interior Design & Construction (v. 4, Retail), the project is currently being submitted for LEED Silver certification.

Photography by © Chuck Choi

Project Info:
Architects: Architerra
Location: United States, Boston, MA, USA
Area: 28000.0 ft2
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Chuck Choi
MEP/FP Engineering: R.G. Vanderweil Engineers Structural Engineering, McNamara-Salvia Inc
Energy Modeler: TNZ Energy Consulting Inc Construction Manager, Lee Kennedy Co Inc
Lighting Designers: Ricca Design Studios Lighting Designer, Horton Lees Brogden
Client: Boston Public Market Association
Project Name: Boston Public Market