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Photography by:
Damianos Photography

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Location

Devens Biotech Campus

Devens, MA

By the numbers

Clean Energy, Manufacturing

2 Floors

165,000 SF

Completed Fall 2022

Collaborators
  • King Street Properties - Owner/ Landlord 

  • BW Kennedy, Builders & Construction Managers - Construction Manager 

  • ESI/ NSMC/Nappa Elec./Legacy Fire - MEP/FP Consultant 

  • Highpoint Engineering, Inc. - Civil 

  • Goldstein-Milano LLC, Structural Engineers - Structural 

  • enviENERGY Studio - Energy Consultant 

  • Code Red Consultants - Building Code 

Featured In

Vivo Architecture is proud to lead the design to build CFS’s global headquarters and manufacturing facility in the ‘Devens Biotech Campus’, Devens, MA (also designed by VIVO). The combined office/manufacturing facility reinforces the seamless integration of research and development work with applied technologies of manufacturing and industrial production.  Here, the complex state-of-the-art equipment that will be incorporated in the future commercial power stations will be produced, such as the large-scale industrial magnets essential for the operation of the fusion engine.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind project with unique challenges posed mainly by the specialized equipment used. For example, a colossal overhead crane system is required to move the oversized magnets through the production line,” shares VIVO partner in-charge Mathew O’Brien, RA. “Creating an appropriate layout has been a multifaceted task because of the complex nature of their operation and the size of the magnets to be produced, with diameters ranging from 14.5 feet to 20 feet”, adds Senior Project Architect Peter Stefanini, RA, an expert in designing multifarious production facilities across the US, and internationally.


Working closely with CFS’ team of scientists, technical specialists, and senior management, the VIVO team has applied their expertise and creativity to bring alive their client’s visions about an environment that embodies the vitality and inventive nature of their work culture and talks lucidly about CFS’ scientific objectives. The building comprises an area of approximately 164,000 SF with 108,000 SF allocated for high-bay industrial use, and 56,000 SF slated for corporate office use. The building is arranged in a sideways ‘L’ configuration, with the 2-story office block running east-to-west, and the manufacturing block, oriented north-south. Both functions share a wall that allows views from the office floors directly into the manufacturing floor. The office block is an elongated rectangle, that allows natural light to travel deep into the space and is anchored at one end by the reception and board room-executive suite and by a large break room and commercial kitchen facility at the other. In between, the open office area is kept with minimum interruptions to enhance the collaborative nature of the company. Internal windows into the manufacturing floor allow the CFS team to show investors and guests the company operations directly from the office area. The manufacturing facility was developed using a structural module that would allow the large equipment and machinery to operate efficiently and ramp up production when needed.


“Most importantly, it has been an honor to be a part of their project and receive important insights into their scientific mission,” concludes O’Brien. The project, currently under construction, will be ready for occupancy and operation by September 2022.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

165,000 SF

2 Floors

Collaborators

Devens Biotech Campus

Devens, MA

Completed Fall 2022

  • King Street Properties - Owner/ Landlord 

  • BW Kennedy, Builders & Construction Managers - Construction Manager 

  • ESI/ NSMC/Nappa Elec./Legacy Fire - MEP/FP Consultant 

  • Highpoint Engineering, Inc. - Civil 

  • Goldstein-Milano LLC, Structural Engineers - Structural 

  • enviENERGY Studio - Energy Consultant 

  • Code Red Consultants - Building Code 

VIVO is proud to lead the design efforts for CFS’s global headquarters and manufacturing facility in Devens, MA. The combined facility reinforces the seamless integration of research and development work with applied manufacturing technologies.  Here, the state-of-the-art equipment for commercial fusion power stations will be produced, including large-scale industrial magnets essential for operating fusion engines.

The building comprises an area of approximately 164,000 SF with 108,000 SF allocated for high-bay industrial use, and 56,000 SF slated for corporate office use. The building is arranged in a sideways ‘L’ configuration, with the 2-story office block running east-to-west, and the manufacturing block oriented north-south. The office block is an elongated rectangle, that allows natural light to travel deep into the space. It is anchored at one end by the reception and executive suites and at the other end by a large break room with commercial kitchen. In between, the open office area is kept with minimum interruptions to enhance the collaborative nature of the company. Internal windows into the manufacturing floor allow the CFS team to show investors and guests the company operations directly from the office area. The manufacturing facility was developed using a structural module that would allow the large equipment and machinery to operate efficiently and ramp up production when needed.


Working closely with CFS’ team of scientists, technical specialists, and senior management, the VIVO team has produced an environment that embodies the vitality and inventive nature of their client’s work culture and scientific objectives. “It’s a one-of-a-kind project with unique challenges posed mainly by the specialized equipment used,” shares VIVO partner in-charge Mathew O’Brien. “Most importantly, it has been an honor to be a part of their project and receive important insights into their scientific mission.”A breakthrough innovator company, Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is poised to be the first to commercially harness the power of fusion for producing clean, inexhaustible energy. Founded in 2018 in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), CFS is developing the world's first commercially viable fusion reactor, a first step for the eventual application of this technology worldwide.

  • Vivo Architecture is proud to lead the design to build CFS’s global headquarters and manufacturing facility in the ‘Devens Biotech Campus’, Devens, MA (also designed by VIVO). The combined office/manufacturing facility reinforces the seamless integration of research and development work with applied technologies of manufacturing and industrial production.  Here, the complex state-of-the-art equipment that will be incorporated in the future commercial power stations will be produced, such as the large-scale industrial magnets essential for the operation of the fusion engine.

    “It’s a one-of-a-kind project with unique challenges posed mainly by the specialized equipment used. For example, a colossal overhead crane system is required to move the oversized magnets through the production line,” shares VIVO partner in-charge Mathew O’Brien, RA. “Creating an appropriate layout has been a multifaceted task because of the complex nature of their operation and the size of the magnets to be produced, with diameters ranging from 14.5 feet to 20 feet”, adds Senior Project Architect Peter Stefanini, RA, an expert in designing multifarious production facilities across the US, and internationally.


    Working closely with CFS’ team of scientists, technical specialists, and senior management, the VIVO team has applied their expertise and creativity to bring alive their client’s visions about an environment that embodies the vitality and inventive nature of their work culture and talks lucidly about CFS’ scientific objectives. The building comprises an area of approximately 164,000 SF with 108,000 SF allocated for high-bay industrial use, and 56,000 SF slated for corporate office use. The building is arranged in a sideways ‘L’ configuration, with the 2-story office block running east-to-west, and the manufacturing block, oriented north-south. Both functions share a wall that allows views from the office floors directly into the manufacturing floor. The office block is an elongated rectangle, that allows natural light to travel deep into the space and is anchored at one end by the reception and board room-executive suite and by a large break room and commercial kitchen facility at the other. In between, the open office area is kept with minimum interruptions to enhance the collaborative nature of the company. Internal windows into the manufacturing floor allow the CFS team to show investors and guests the company operations directly from the office area. The manufacturing facility was developed using a structural module that would allow the large equipment and machinery to operate efficiently and ramp up production when needed.


    “Most importantly, it has been an honor to be a part of their project and receive important insights into their scientific mission,” concludes O’Brien. The project, currently under construction, will be ready for occupancy and operation by September 2022.

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