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Tufts University, Bacow Sailing Pavilion
Location
1600 Mystic Valley Parkway
Medford, MA
By the numbers
Institutional
3 Floors
5900 SF
Completed Summer 2013
Collaborators
Tufts University Construction Department - Owner/ Landlord
Bowdoin Construction Corp. - Construction Manager
Avid Engineers - MEP Consultant
Siegel Associates, Inc. - Structural
R.W. Sullivan, Inc. - Building Code
Kalin associates, Inc. - Specifications
Featured In
Tufts University’s sailing team enjoys a high-profile national reputation. Though it has won 19 national championships since 1980, it has continued to operate out of a simple concrete warehouse structure built in the late 1940’s. Severely undersized, the building was barely able to house the team’s fleet of racing dinghies and coach boats plus a small workshop area, with no room for related team facilities or support space.
With the encouragement and support of alumni, the University engaged Vivo to develop plans for a new expanded sailing facility, at the same location, that would be worthy of the team’s reputation. Because the site is on waterfront State reservation land, restrictions were in place that would limit changes to the building’s footprint. For this reason, a decision was made to retain the existing concrete structure and expand upwards. Fortunately, the original boathouse was built buried into the sloped grade with stairs leading down to dock level access. This allowed the new design to expand upward two stories while keeping the building massing modest in appearance at the approach grade.
The design of the new Bacow Sailing Pavilion is inspired by the classic shingle style, with extended gable roof, shake siding, and board & batten trim. The original lower dock level is now dedicated to expanded boat storage alone, with three bay doors opening to a newly refurbished boat launch apron. The new main entrance level above contains a locker room and showers, along with an expanded maintenance shop. Stairs and elevator up to the third level lead to the Great Room, which will be used for a range of activities including casual gathering, training sessions and formal sit-down functions. A wall of glazed openings under a broad arch leads to an observation deck overlooking the waterside activities. Perimeter spaces include a smaller meeting room with library, the coach’s office, a kitchenette, storage and restroom. Both the building and the site conditions have been designed and upgraded to be handicapped accessible.
Tufts University, Bacow Sailing Pavilion
5900 SF
3 Floors
Collaborators
1600 Mystic Valley Parkway
Medford, MA
Completed Summer 2013
Tufts University Construction Department - Owner/ Landlord
Bowdoin Construction Corp. - Construction Manager
Avid Engineers - MEP Consultant
Siegel Associates, Inc. - Structural
R.W. Sullivan, Inc. - Building Code
Kalin associates, Inc. - Specifications
With the encouragement and support of alumni, the University engaged Vivo to develop plans for a new expanded sailing facility, at the same location, that would be worthy of the team’s reputation. Because the site is on waterfront State reservation land, restrictions were in place that would limit changes to the building’s footprint. For this reason, a decision was made to retain the existing concrete structure and expand upwards. Fortunately, the original boathouse was built buried into the sloped grade with stairs leading down to dock level access. This allowed the new design to expand upward two stories while keeping the building massing modest in appearance at the approach grade.
Tufts University’s sailing team enjoys a high-profile national reputation. Though it has won 19 national championships since 1980, it has continued to operate out of a simple concrete warehouse structure built in the late 1940’s. Severely undersized, the building was barely able to house the team’s fleet of racing dinghies and coach boats plus a small workshop area, with no room for related team facilities or support space.
With the encouragement and support of alumni, the University engaged Vivo to develop plans for a new expanded sailing facility, at the same location, that would be worthy of the team’s reputation. Because the site is on waterfront State reservation land, restrictions were in place that would limit changes to the building’s footprint. For this reason, a decision was made to retain the existing concrete structure and expand upwards. Fortunately, the original boathouse was built buried into the sloped grade with stairs leading down to dock level access. This allowed the new design to expand upward two stories while keeping the building massing modest in appearance at the approach grade.
The design of the new Bacow Sailing Pavilion is inspired by the classic shingle style, with extended gable roof, shake siding, and board & batten trim. The original lower dock level is now dedicated to expanded boat storage alone, with three bay doors opening to a newly refurbished boat launch apron. The new main entrance level above contains a locker room and showers, along with an expanded maintenance shop. Stairs and elevator up to the third level lead to the Great Room, which will be used for a range of activities including casual gathering, training sessions and formal sit-down functions. A wall of glazed openings under a broad arch leads to an observation deck overlooking the waterside activities. Perimeter spaces include a smaller meeting room with library, the coach’s office, a kitchenette, storage and restroom. Both the building and the site conditions have been designed and upgraded to be handicapped accessible.