Dedication ceremonies held Friday at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine will culminate a $68 million, 22-month vertical expansion development.
University officials, City of Boston representatives and community leaders will celebrate the grand opening of a five-story, 95,000 s/f vertical addition on top of the existing 10-story Tufts University School of Dental Medicine building in Chinatown.
The original building, built in 1972, was designed to be a 16-story structure; however, the building plan was revised and only 10 floors were constructed at that time. The top five floors recently added include two new clinical patient floors, an expanded simulation laboratory, teaching facilities, a continuing education conference center and administrative offices.
"The additional space as a result of the vertical expansion will allow us to expand clinical areas to increase access to care and community programs, as well as create new state-of-the-art teaching space to train our students and offer continuing education," said Lonnie Norris, dean of the School of Dental Medicine.
"We provide care to more than 20,000 patients each year, totaling more than 95,000 visits annually, so staying on time and on budget was crucial to the continued operation of the school and clinics as we progressed through the project. We couldn't be happier with the professionalism and expertise of both ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge and Shawmut Design and Construction," said Norris.
ARC, a nationally recognized architectural, planning and interior design firm specializing in educational, science, sports and corporate facilities, provided the design and programming services and served as the architect for the $68 million project at One Kneeland St. The general contractor for the project was Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading provider of academic, healthcare, science, and commercial construction services.
The expansion was designed to integrate contemporary forms and materials within the framework of the existing pre-cast concrete building. While addressing the rigorous modular order of the original 1970s design, the new vertical addition uses a glass and aluminum curtain wall system and white metal panels to contrast the heavier forms of the existing concrete structure. By integrating a new architectural vocabulary and extending it to the street level, the final design forms a prominent new main entry for the dental school. The existing egress stair at the corner of the building has also been transformed into a glass beacon that marks the gateway to the Tufts Health Sciences Boston Campus. The expansion's transparent glass exterior façade not only results in a dramatic new image for the dental school but also provides the added benefit of incorporating significant day-lighting strategies for the building interior, all of which are designed to save energy and add to the sustainable characteristics of the design.
As part of Boston's mandate for sustainable design, the addition and renovation were designed and built with the goal of LEED certification.
"I am so proud of our team's work on this tremendously challenging project," said Shawmut Design and Construction's CEO Thomas Goemaat. "The team had to overcome profound technical and logistical issues—an extremely tight site, keeping the building safe and operational throughout, detailed enabling work, and of course the challenges of vertical construction in a congested, sensitive environment. The fact that the project was completed exactly as planned is a testament to their painstaking planning and open communications throughout the project."
Rob Quigley, AIA, a principal at ARC who led the design team for the project, said that the addition and renovation have been significant not only to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine but also to the whole neighborhood.
"We're very proud that we have helped create a building that is worthy of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine's reputation as one of North America's top dental schools," said Quigley. "The building brands the dental school in a very positive way and becomes a gateway to the Tufts Health Sciences Campus in Boston."
"The dental school expansion is a beautiful addition to the community," said Richard Chin, director of community development for the WANG YMCA of Chinatown. "May those who enter this facility be better able to teach, learn, and practice the highest quality of dental medicine for the benefit of all. Congratulations to Tufts University, Dean Lonnie Norris and the entire team for their perseverance and patience to see this wonderful project and dream come true."