BOSTON–WS Development, a Massachusetts-based property developer, has engaged OMA to design its mixed-use retail and office project located at 88 Seaport Boulevard. The project is situated in the Boston Seaport, a dynamic and vibrant area that is quickly emerging as one of the most exciting neighborhoods and destinations in the country.
The announcement marks OMA’s first commission in the city of Boston. The firm joins a group of talented architecture and design firms assembled by WS Development to elevate the quality and diversity of architecture in the Seaport, including James Corner Field Operations, Sasaki, and NADAAA.
“We are committed to bringing world-class architecture to Boston’s Seaport – architecture that will stand the test of time. Together with the brilliant team at OMA, we will create a unique urban environment that advances Boston’s innovation economy and celebrates great urban design,” said Yanni Tsipis, Senior Vice President of Seaport at WS Development.
88 Seaport will feature 18 floors with nearly 425,000 square feet of office space, approximately 60,000 square feet of retail on the first two floors, and 5,000 square feet of civic/cultural use. The building design features a unique series of cascading exterior terraces and a grand architectural gesture towards Fan Pier Green and the water’s edge.
The design for 88 Seaport will be conceived by OMA Partner Shohei Shigematsu, who has led the firm’s diverse portfolio in the Americas for over a decade. “It’s exciting to engage with the innovation migration to the Seaport District, and work with WS Development on a building positioned to be the nexus between historic Fort Point and the emerging waterfront developments. Our design for 88 Seaport slices the building into two volumes, creating distinct responses for each urban scale of old and new, while also accommodating diverse office typologies for diverse industries with demands for traditional and alternative floorplates. The slice also generates an opportunity to draw in the district’s public domains, linking the waterfront and Fan Pier Green with a continuous landscape,” said Shigematsu.
88 Seaport is anticipated to start construction in 2018 and is slated to be complete in 2020. The building is part of Seaport’s master planned development, which weaves together a unique fabric of residences, offices, shops, restaurants, civic and cultural uses, hotels, and open spaces.
