Glass Highlights the Jewel Box Addition to Boston’s Redesigned Congress Square
Adding a seven-story curtainwall to three 1900s-era bank buildings in downtown Boston, local architect Arrowstreet sought a lightweight material to contrast the structures’ original granite and limestone facades. The firm’s solution is reflected in the sparkling jewel box, fabricated with Solarban® 60 Starphire® glass by Vitro Architectural Glass and featuring a trendy soffit design, that is now perched atop the newly conjoined office buildings.
“We felt strongly the materiality and massing of the new addition needed to be distinct from the existing buildings to preserve their original character,” explained Jason King, AIA, LEED® AP BD+C, senior associate, Arrowstreet. “The custom unitized curtainwall system incorporates ultra-transparent Solarban® 60 Starphire® glass, providing striking views into and out of the building and allowing the addition to feel lighter above the weightier masonry building below.”