PERSPECTIVES

RODE's Brucewood Homes project has been honored with the prestigious Planet Positive Award for Single-Family Home by Metropolis magazine. The Planet Positive Awards recognize excellence in sustainable, healthy, just design at every scale in the built environment.

Brucewood Homes, the first internationally certified Passive House single-family homes in the City of Boston, is a series of three single-family residences perched on a rocky outcropping in a quiet residential neighborhood. The Homes’ simple, contemporary design celebrates their sustainable aspirations: large windows and warm materials connect the occupants to nature, daylight, and well-being; an efficient building form minimizes disturbance of the site; and high-efficiency mechanical systems ensure a low-carbon footprint. The project exemplifies RODE Architects’ commitment to integrating sustainability with great design, setting a high standard for energy efficiency and resiliency in residential construction to create healthy, durable living spaces.

“We are incredibly proud to receive the Planet Positive Award for Brucewood Homes,” said Kevin Deabler, principal and co-founder of RODE. “This project represents our dedication to building sustainably. We believed that high-performance, healthy, and comfortable homes like Brucewood are in demand and this was proven true through the experience of our client and these homeowners. It’s an honor to be recognized by Metropolis alongside all of this year’s worthy award winners.”

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RODE won approvals for two projects at the Boston Planning Department's November Board hearing. These two projects exemplify RODE's approach to community-based design, with program, form, and siting that give back to their respective neighborhoods, and expand and enhance the public realm.

279 North Harvard is a partnership with the Allston Brighton CDC and McNamara House that will bring 49 units of affordable elderly housing to the Brighton neighborhood, The project anchors itself around the revitalized Hill Memorial Baptist Church structure, in support of the humane, joyful long term housing of elderly residents.

49 D Street, in the growth corridor along Dot Ave in South Boston, presents a striking, resilient, contemporary design that deftly contends with constrained site conditions. The building form is sculpted to carve space for a pocket park, which connects to a new ground level retail space.

70 units of new housing - including 12 units designated as affordable - will enjoy expansive views of the city, and benefit from Passive House design principles.

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In the competitive landscape of the hospitality industry, a well-crafted business plan can be the difference between success and stagnation. While architects are traditionally associated with designing physical spaces, they’re most effective when their role extends beyond aesthetics. Engaging an architect or interior designer early in your business planning process can yield a number of strategic advantages that transcend mere floor plans.

Originally published on High-Profile Monthly.

Brand Identity and Feasibility Studies

Architects possess a unique skill set that blends creative vision with practicality. When embarking on a new hospitality venture, they can contribute significantly to the development of your brand identity. By understanding your business goals, target market, and desired guest experience, architects can help cultivate your concept through spatial storytelling and thematic design elements. Whether it’s a boutique hotel, restaurant, or spa, they can infuse your space with unique characteristics that resonate with your target audience.

In addition, architects can conduct feasibility studies that assess the viability of your business plan – whether a new build or a renovation – from a design and construction standpoint. They can identify potential challenges early on, such as zoning regulations, building codes, and environmental considerations. This proactive approach mitigates risks and allows for adjustments to be made in the planning stages, saving time and money down the line.

Spatial Planning and Operational Efficiency

Efficient space utilization is crucial in the hospitality industry, where every square foot impacts revenue generation and guest experience. Architects are trained to optimize spatial layouts, ensuring that your space not only looks impressive but also operates seamlessly. From kitchen workflows to guest flow patterns, it’s vital to consider spatial planning to enhance operational efficiency and staff productivity.

Boston-based firm continues its growth momentum by expanding its offerings at the intersection of workplace and hospitality

BOSTON, June 5, 2024 – RODE Architects, a Boston-based collaborative design and architecture firm, has announced the acquisition of McMahon Architects, a full-service firm specializing in workplace interiors, hospitality, restaurant, residential and environmental design. The acquisition, which reflects RODE’s continued growth and momentum following its expansion in 2023, enables the firm to strengthen its capabilities in several key sectors and expand its offerings for clients reimagining the workplace in a post-pandemic landscape.

“We have long maintained an entrepreneurial spirit, and as business owners, we seek out opportunities to strengthen our team and expand our reach,” said Eric Robinson, principal and co-founder of RODE. “The strategic acquisition of McMahon Architects and its expertise is a milestone moment in our history and enables us to shape the future of workplace and hospitality design while serving our clients more comprehensively.”

Hospitality is embedded into RODE’s vision for the future of the workplace. RODE’s concept-driven design process has led to inspired workplace spaces, including Harvard Art Museums, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Freight Farms. The firm sees an opportunity to reinvent the modern workplace to suit a post-pandemic office culture and create amenity spaces for people to thrive in all aspects of their lives in corporate spaces and on college campuses.

The acquisition combines the experience and expertise of two of Boston’s respected architectural firms with a commitment to client service, collaboration, and design excellence. RODE sees workplace, hospitality and retail as growth opportunities and strengths of McMahon Architects, whose workplace design clients include Wayfair, Spectra Medical and Audax Private Equity. As part of the acquisition, McMahon Architects President David McMahon will join RODE for a transitional period to help merge capabilities.

“The alignment with RODE from a sector and design standpoint makes this the right choice,” said McMahon. “Their excellent reputation in the market gives me the full confidence that my clients will receive the same caliber of service and design excellence they have come to expect. I look forward to aiding the transition and collaborating with the RODE team over the coming months.”

“David McMahon’s 28-year legacy of delivering great design and client service will carry on through this process,” said Kevin Deabler, principal and co-founder of RODE. “We’re thrilled to bring on David’s enthusiasm and commitment to design. He and his team are great collaborators who will add more energy and knowledge for placemaking at RODE.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Lowe, Elevate Communications, blowe@elevatecom.com

About RODE Architects

RODE is a Boston-based team of architects, designers, and urban planners who know that great design has the power to transform our environment. We have cultivated a network of driven people – employees, clients, builders, community members – who share this mission, and know that working collaboratively is the best way to achieve our goals. The breadth and depth of our collective capabilities enable us to apply our practice across an array of project types that includes mixed-use, hospitality, multi-family, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. Clients select RODE to drive the design process and ensure their vision is realized. For more information and to be inspired visit www.rodearchitects.com.

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Earlier in the spring, we hosted around a dozen YMCA Greater Boston Young Achievers in the Real Estate Cluster. The program’s goal is to “help young people discover and pursue higher education and career goals needed to succeed and be community role models.” Some of the RODE staff gave the students an overview of the work that RODE does, then our firm Principals took them on a tour of our office before digging in to the day's project.

We created an activity to engage the students in the work that we do everyday – imagining the potential and possibilities for a parcel of land. We gave the participants a laser cut site model and provided them with 3D printed massing blocks and prompted them to create a development that they thought would be appropriate for the site and location near the YMCA Dorchester building.  

This past weekend, we were honored to be awarded the YMCA's Community Partner Award for our work with the Young Achievers.

We’re looking forward to working with the wonderful YMCA staff again and hosting more YMCA cohorts in the future! For more information about the program, including how you can participate, visit: https://ymcaboston.org/youth-and-family/teen-programs/y-achievers/.

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