Bower Boston with Planeta Design Group
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
Just steps from the historic Fenway Park, the much-anticipated Bower Boston is a bold, experience-driven residential development. Planeta Design Group was entrusted with crafting the interiors for this dynamic project, which spans two distinct buildings: an eight-story low-rise and a fourteen-story high-rise crowned with a rooftop pool offering panoramic views of the city. The project encompasses 350 units and nearly 12,000 square feet of thoughtfully curated amenities, including remote workspaces, a fitness and yoga studio, a chef’s kitchen, and a sky-high lounge with an indoor greenhouse. Our team played an integral role in shaping the project's identity as a whole, from branding and naming to the selection of every piece of furniture. The result? A highly cohesive, immersive living experience designed to surprise and inspire.
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
A Unified Vision
From the start, Bower Boston was a collaborative effort. The project began with a workshop bringing together architects, landscape architects, interior designers, engineers, equity partners, and construction teams to align on a singular creative direction. Guided by the branding agency, the session established Thematic pillars of biophilia, urban oasis, an infusion of vibrant color, and a sense of discovery the foundation for a unique design language that would echo throughout. These elements would feed into the interior design in numerous ways, including. The branding agency then created a set of graphics based on initial interior concepts, which we then wove back into the project through signage, custom wallcoverings, and even a carved wooden conference table.
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
Designing the Sky Lounge
One of the most exciting challenges was conceptualizing the 14th-floor sky lounge, a triangular space at the building’s point. During this phase, inspiration struck unexpectedly. While serving as a guest critic for an architectural graduate class, I came across a student’s precedent study of an ancient Roman home, complete with an “Impluvium”—a central rainwater collection garden. This inspired the idea of an internal garden in the sky. While an open-air design proved impractical, we reimagined it as a luminous, skylit greenhouse, offering residents a lush, tranquil escape with a backdrop of the Boston skyline.
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
Two Buildings, One Cohesive Experience
Though appearing as separate towers, the two buildings are seamlessly connected underground. A key design challenge was balancing individuality with cohesion—ensuring each tower had its own distinct personality while maintaining an overarching sense of harmony.
The eight-story tower, facing Brookline and the Emerald Necklace, embraces a serene, grounded aesthetic with rich wood tones and deep greens. In contrast, the fourteen-story high-rise, oriented towards downtown Boston, features a more expressive design with amplified color, dynamic amenities, and a heightened energy of biophilic elements
By weaving these narratives into the design, we created a space that feels both united and distinct—an urban sanctuary that shifts in tone yet remains unmistakably part of the same story. Bower Boston is more than a place to live; it’s a space to discover and experience.
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
A New Standard in Urban Living
Bower Boston redefines city living by beautifully blending nature, luxury, and bold design. Through a cohesive vision and innovation, we have crafted a residential experience that is both inviting and inspiring—where every space tells a story, and every detail enhances daily life. It stands as a testament to the power of thoughtful, intentional design in shaping not just buildings, but the way we live within them.
Photo credit: Joshua McHugh
Collaborators:
Property: Bower Boston
Developer: Green Cities
Architect: The Architectural Team
Interiors: Planeta Design Group
Landscape Architect: Copley Wolff
General Contractor: John Moriarty and Associates
Designer Monologues the Podcast from IIDA New England with your host Brett Berry is officially LIVE!! On this show, we’ll share the stories behind the design of repurposing, developing and reshaping our communities. Incubated from the minds and skills of New England’s talented design community, you’ll hear how visual inspiration can come from nature, our history, current trends and more as we take you on a story-telling journey behind design.
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