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TAT's master plan and design for the Lendlease-led development in burgeoning East Boston comprises a combined 478 residential units, as well as retail and other commercial space. The first phase is currently under construction and includes the six-storey, 80-unit condo building Slip65 - already sold out - and DOX, which will offer 284 rental units across two buildings. Planned public amenities include connection to the Boston Harbourwalk, a beachfront area, and a floating dock and kayak launch. The project also offers a public art plan and easy access to mass transit at the nearby Maverick MBTA Blue Line station.
Crucially for the sensitive inner harbour location, Clippership Wharf emphasizes resiliency and flood mitigation, according to TAT partner Michael E. Liu, AIA, NCARB, who notes that sea levels in Boston Harbour are projected to rise by two feet or more by 2050. Liu points to a hybrid living shoreline and other strategic landscaping as key elements of this project's aggressive 100-year resiliency strategy that seeks to absorb possible storm surges while also improving public access to the water.
"It's important for architects and developers to consider not only the impact of sea level rise, but also the experience of people who live and work in waterfront and coastal areas," says Liu. "Innovative communities like Clippership Wharf show that by taking a thoughtful, creative approach to climate adaptation, it's possible to design for resiliency and improve livability at the same time."
Clippership Wharf was recently honoured as an example of responsible waterfront development by the nonprofit group Boston Harbour Now, in its 2017 OnBoard Awards. The project is the latest in a long line of resilient, transformative, and pedestrian-oriented waterfront projects by TAT, including Boston's award-winning Lovejoy Wharf, which is home to the corporate headquarters for international clothing brand Converse and which features elevated public use areas creating an active edge along Boston harbour. Most recently the firm completed Harbour Place, a mixed-use development in riverfront Haverhill, Mass., comprising two structures on a raised podium along with a plaza and pedestrian connections to the riverfront.
Nick Myall
News editor