Jay Bliefnick
Associate Principal
10 World Trade, a new development led by Massport and Boston Global Investors (BGI), is sited at a unique location in Boston’s Seaport, merging the lower Seaport with Summer Street/Downtown.
Design architect Sasaki’s ‘out of the box’ approach to this human-scaled, office, lab and cultural building stems from the push/pull of its urban fabric against its landmark anchor points (which include Boston Harbor, the Boston Convention and Exposition Center, and the historic World Trade Center.) With 17 stories and 600,000 sf of commercial space, 10 World Trade is designed to meet LEED and WELL standards. Over 2 acres of new landscaped seating areas and walkways will energize and foster connections around the former parking lot parcel.
During the project start-up in 2019, Sasaki and Boston Global Investors hired Acentech to provide acoustics, vibration, and mechanical system noise and vibration control consulting. Our team focused on the great hall, designed (with a 45-foot high domed ceiling) as a public gathering and presentation space; a multi-purpose auditorium; a top-floor running track and fitness center; a publicly-accessible cultural center; shell tenant spaces design to allow for offices and lab uses; and the landscaped exterior plaza. The ~2,000 sf auditorium is intended to be a community resource, with direct access onto World Trade Center Avenue, offering a venue for presentations and music events not only for building occupants, but also nearby residents.
As part of the design, the façade included vertical fins of varying lengths and width, creating interesting texture to the glass façade common to this part of the Seaport. Partnering with Sasaki and the wind consultant, vibration analysis was conducted during design to confirm that the fins would not introduce unintended vibration or noise to the building structure.
One of the key amenities of this building is the Level 17 running track and fitness center, to provide future tenants with a wonderful skyline view of Boston while working out. This feature is a great amenity for building occupants, as well as a challenge acoustically, requiring targeted isolation treatments to meet project noise goals. Collaborating with the designers, contractors, and vendors, we developed the appropriate noise and vibration isolation system for floating the running track.
When complete in 2024, the inviting and transparent building will be a magnet for future life science tenants, with state-of-the art technology, collaboration spaces and amenities. Read more about 10 World Trade in this Metropolis magazine article.
