Poet Thomas Carlyle once said, “Silence is the element in which great things fashion themselves together.”

Advancements in scientific research are helping designers and architects make better informed decisions about the acoustical products that they use for commercial, education, and healthcare projects. As a direct result of this research, standards have been developed declaring maximum background noise in specific environments. Excessive noise in office environments can interrupt workers' productivity. Excessive noise in classrooms can disturb learning and reduce test scores. Excessive noise in healthcare facilities can lead to decreased healing. Noise, design, and these outcomes are all interconnected.

Design & Vision for a Defunct Power Plant

In stark contrast to the development of the Seaport District, the future plans for the Old Edison Power Plant (dating back to 1898) just over the bridge in South Boston are taking shape. Hilco Redevelopment Partners and Redgate have been busy pitching the 1.8 million square foot redevelopment that will include luxury condos, apartments, two hotels, retail and office space.

Where's My Seat?

Free address. Hoteling. Hot desking. No matter what you call it, the unassigned-seat office has exploded onto the scene over the past few years and is on the rise. Often, due to the increase in the number of employees working from home and the desire for non-traditional settings for different types of work, a company can reduce their overhead by reducing the number of private offices or assigned spaces that they provide within their office walls. This concept is based on data that says as much as 40% of an office's dedicated desk space sits unused on a given day. And with them sitting idle, the question is: is this an efficient use of space? As a result, many offices have adopted the free address mantra where fewer desks serve the same number of employees. This model certainly has both pros and cons.