Berklee College of Music
160 Massachusetts Avenue
Project
160 Massachusetts Avenue
Client
Berklee College of Music
Location
Boston, MA
Completion
2013
Size
176,000 GSF
Certification
LEED Gold
Category
The Arts, Campus Innovations, Residence Halls
Fronting on Massachusetts Avenue, this multi-use 370-bed residence hall for Berklee College of Music strengthens the College’s multiple connections to the City of Boston. The transparent facade reveals the life of the building while creating an active urban street edge. The building includes freshman housing, a 400-seat, 2-story Dining Hall serving as a student performance venue overlooking the street, student activity and gathering spaces, ground-floor retail and the largest recording facility for an educational institution in the country.
RADICAL FLEXIBILITY
The centerpiece of the residence hall is, as summarized by the College’s president “a performance space that can double as a dining hall by day.” The space is centered on a stage wrapped on three sides by a balcony - like a concert hall or theater. Because the stage is located directly behind the 40-foot glass wall, musicians are highly visible to the city - showcasing the deep talent and energy of the school’s students.
PEFORMANCE SPACE IN USE
A student band performs at the 2019 Christmas Show in the Caf
Students gather in the Caf for a dance workshop
The Berklee Bruno Mars Ensemble performs live at the Caf in 2017
The main gathering space allows for flexible events during the day, like
Students present project at BSA Foundation Event
The Berklee band performs in the Caf
Awards + Recognition
2023 BSA Harleston Parker Medal
2016 Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award
2015 National AIA Specialized Housing Award
2015 National AIA-CAE Education Facility Design Excellence Award
2015 National AIA-CAE/SCUP Excellence in Architecture for a New Building Merit Award
2015 NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement for Studio Design Project
2015 Dave Pensado Educator Award for Excellence in Audio Education
2014 BSA Housing Design Award
2014 Engineering News Record Best Higher Educational/Research Project in New England
Lighting and Sound America, “The Tower of Music,” David Barbour, June 2015.
Project Consultants
Structural Engineer | LeMessurier Consultants, Inc.
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer | Rist-Frost-Shumway Engineering
Civil Engineer | Nitsch Engineering
Landscape Architect | Landworks Studio, Inc.
Interior Designer | Lab [3.2] Architecture
Lighting Consultant | Lam Partners, Inc.
Acoustical Engineer | Walters-Storyk Design Group
AV Consultant | Acentech
Photographer | Robert Benson, Bruce T. Martin, Michael D. Spencer, Berklee Instagram @cafshows