PERSPECTIVES

RODE hosted a national audience from the Urban Land Institute Fall Meeting as they toured our landmark Hotel and Residences projects at 6 and 14 West Broadway. The two projects create a prominent gateway into South Boston, and express the excitement of building within the dense urban fabric.

The tour highlighted RODE's urban place-making in the dynamic hotel lobby that opens up to the streetscape, explored the complex logistics of the shared basement and valet parking, and took in expansive views from both buildings' roof decks. Special thanks to Consigli for their help in facilitating and guiding tours of the hotel, and to City Point Capital for opening both projects to ULI.

The projects were the final stop on the "Southie on the Rise: Growth and Expansion of Boston's Most Popular Neighborhoods" Tour, during which the group also visited the former Boston Globe site and learned of Nordblom's vision for the former HQ, and National Development's ongoing efforts at Ink Block.

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If you took a stroll down Washington St in the South End this past Thursday, you would have seen a display of athletic prowess and admirable gamesmanship as the inaugural match of RODE-Ball took place at Peters Park.

In the waning evening light, team ‘DE’ took the victory, overcoming both a formidable team ‘RO’ and untraversable mud pit obstacle at second base. Special thanks to Amanda and Iany – executive RAC committee members – for organizing the event!

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RODE Architects is excited to be working with award-winning local chef Karen Akunowicz on her newest restaurant in South Boston. The design will transform the former Maiden restaurant into a comfortable, neighborhood space with an approachability that aims to directly complement the restaurant's cuisine.

Stay tuned for more design updates, and in the meantime read more at Boston Magazine:

Boston Magazine - Early Details on Chef Karen Akunowicz's New Restaurant in South Boston

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The Brighton Mikvah is framed and nearly weather tight, beneath a gently pitched roof (so formed to gather rainwater for the internal immersion pools). The high humidity of the internal uses required the selection of an exterior-applied closed-cell spray foam insulation to manage the seasonal dew point.

The entry corner is anchored by a rough-cut masonry, selected to evoke Jerusalem Limestone, and convey a sense of quiet ceremony for the building's users.

Complex formwork were constructed to satisfy rabbinical requirements for the immersion pools, with integral channels, retention wells, and pools all cast in a single, monolithic pour.

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Architecture internships are unique to any other. More than just a day filled with filing and monotonous jobs, Architecture internships allow students to get familiar with a firm and their specialization. Here at RODE, interns are truly members of the team and we partake in all aspects of the business, from design insight on projects, to celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary at the Dorchester Brewing Company.

A day at RODE is never dull, we’re an enthusiastic group of 18 employees working in a small, tight-knit setting in an open studio atmosphere with clients coming in and out all day. It’s great to be able to translate the open studio language that we are so familiar with, into the office setting. Working as an intern is a distinct experience aimed at broadening a particular skill set. There are specific goals set at the beginning of the internship and we are encouraged to work on specific elements of projects that peak our interests. Interns work on numerous types of projects in one single day – from residential unit layouts in the morning – to presentation renderings by night. Other specific jobs include feasibility studies, model building, hand drawing, massing building options, and more. It takes more than an average college student to be a part of RODE’s team, you have to have a positive attitude and step outside of your comfort zone, being ready and willing to work on anything asked, and eager to learn new skills to develop the knowledge required by the field.

Aside from growing your knowledge on a daily basis, being a member of RODE’s team comes with other perks. While working at RODE, interns partake in the social side of the firm, including Friday afternoon snack/drink hour to design charrettes in order to familiarize the team with new projects. The design charrettes show the collaborative nature of RODE’s work environment, and seeing a project grow from a simple massing study to a highly developed piece of architecture through ideas and concepts is directly relevant to us as students.  The iterative process is a very real part of design, and to see it implemented in real world projects makes the job very rewarding. Other fun activities include t-shirt competitions, lunch outings, weekly “lunch and learn” presentations, and bagel Wednesdays. Joining the team also means social gatherings outside the normal 9-5. Interns at RODE are proud to be a part of this collaborative group of individuals who love where they work and what they do.

Personal Statement from Current Interns:

Paul Arduini - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017

“Personally, one of my favorite exercises that I’ve been able to do on a daily basis at RODE is to visualize a project through digital ‘art.’ I enjoy bringing a project to life. In most cases, the public reacts best to conceptual renderings. I believe a story should be told through these images while creating an atmosphere that one would not take away from a line drawing.”

Danielle Roberts - Northeastern University - Class of 2017

“RODE has truly made me feel like part of the team. I have gotten to work on so many different projects, and seen them through almost every phase. It’s especially interesting to learn about the design process and how community reception and neighborhood characteristics influence design. It’s great to be able to work for a firm that cares about where they’re building, not just what they’re building.”

Amanda Dexter - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017

“Intern life at RODE is an experience to remember. I thank RODE for teaching me the valuable skills necessary in order to be successful in the field of architecture. I wouldn’t have received this kind of knowledge and experience anywhere else.”

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