New York architect Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has unveiled its design for a 186ft-tall timber tower for Boston University, the tallest wooden tower in the northeast US.
The 70,000 sq ft building will be the home of the Pardee School for Global Studies, and will contain conference facilities, classrooms, offices and social spaces.
Research areas surround double-height “living rooms” for informal gatherings, connected by a large staircase that is itself a meeting and socialising area.
The building will have solar panels and its envelope will be triple-glazed, meaning that 85% of its interior spaces will require no mechanical heating or cooling.
The use of a mass-timber structural frame, with what DS+R describes as “monolithic massing”, reduces embodied carbon by 87% when compared with steel or concrete.
Sean Gallagher, DS+R’s director of sustainable design, said: “We are thrilled to be part of Boston University’s effort to make urban environments healthier, more vibrant places to live. The Pardee School of Global Studies marks a significant step toward densifying urban centres in a carbon-neutral way.”
The project is due to be completed in 2027.
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