In 2021, PAYETTE accepted five projects for the annual Day of Service, encompassing a range of typologies and scales from an interior renovation to a new vision for an urban district. Over 43 PAYETTE staff volunteered for the Day of Service, drawn from nearly all areas of our practice. All work was conducted remotely, with flexibility and open communication being central tools for smooth collaboration and production. Two teams managed socially distant site visits, while others relied on a variety of digital collaboration tools to share ideas.
Sandrine Héroux, Sophie McKenzie, and Emily Chowdhury are each members of our in-house Fabrication team. Their day-to-day work centers on a simple question: what changes when design becomes something people can physically test?
These women challenge the notion of fabrication as a support service, framing it instead as an essential component of architectural authorship, a way to test ideas, share agency, and widen the boundaries of what architectural practice can include.
In our most recent blog, they discuss their individual paths in architecture and reflect on their experience using fabrication as a tool for fostering shared agency, community engagement and broadening the role of the architect. Link in bio!
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Boston ABCD Head Start & Children Services: Head Start Renewal: Kitchen & Assembly Space Renovation
The team completed a detailed design review of the lower level of the ABCD Walnut Grove Head Start & Children’s Services facility to improve safety and efficiency for children, teachers and food service staff. The team developed two options for improving kitchen logistics and food delivery path to avoid contact with the children’s gross motor room and better serve the program’s growing needs.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Creating Safe Spaces For A Greater Number of Homeless Youth
Bridge sought help reviewing the design and layout of their main headquarters in order to maximize their existing space and meet the current needs of the youth. The PAYETTE team suggested several ideas for upgrades and improvements to the building that would enhance long-term viability of the facility and provide a framework for future projects according to a coherent plan.
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets: Creating A Green Zone
Greater Grove Hall Main Streets aims to pioneer a Green Zone in Boston to foster green businesses, practices and technologies along with green design interventions. Through analysis of the area, the PAYETTE team identified specific environmental problems that need to be tackled to improve sustainability. With these environmental goals in mind, the team proposed possible urban design interventions at varying scales throughout Greater Grove Hall.
Mass Audubon, Museum of American Bird Art (MABA): Reimagining the Sanctuary
With renovations to the main house of the museum set for construction, MABA sought PAYETTE’s help to reimagine a portion of their exterior grounds. The team proposed a series of interventions to improve the overall campus experience and accessibility with a larger mission to motivate visitors to engage more deeply with nature, to safely open more areas of the site to public access, and to create or experience art.
Root: Food Insecurity Flexibility Enablement
Last year, driven by the temporary suspension of daily operations at the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Root redirected all resources to tackling the rapidly growing food insecurity concerns in the community. This project focused on renovating a portion of the Harborpoint event space to become additional kitchen prep and event storage space thereby allowing Root to expand their food production capabilities while still leaving enough room to hold various large format events, which are an important source of income.