CambridgeSeven

CambridgeSeven

Short description

CambridgeSeven has designed numerous award-winning historic preservation, renovation and adaptive reuse projects locally, nationally and internationally over its 60 years in practice. This work comprises a substantial portion of our portfolio and we continue to seek out preservation and adaptive reuse projects as we believe this type of design is vital to preserving urban character and heritage and is a sustainable alternative to new builds.

We believe that renovation should always be considered when it’s a viable option to give an existing building new purpose to serve new audiences. Our firm has led the transformation of several awe-inspiring projects that seemed like nearly impossible feats including changing a brewery into a renowned art museum, an office tower into a luxurious Four Seasons property, and a metal manufactory into an all-electric cultural center.

As sustainability goals and the demand to reduce carbon footprints increase for architectural projects everywhere, renovation of existing buildings is a substantially more appealing option to save resources. CambridgeSeven’s nimble approach to transforming and extending the viability of buildings that are more than a century old has included successfully enhancing energy performance so that these restored properties meet LEED and Net-Zero standards.

Our renovation projects might include interior and exterior improvements, additions and expansions, and collaboration with local historical commissions. We work with teams ranging from community organizations to the National Park Service to ensure that our renovations meet the needs and expectations of all stakeholders. From careful and painstaking preservation and integration of significant building characteristics to facilitating multiple community forums to gather input, we work to provide users with a space that meets contemporary needs while celebrating the rich history held within. We know that reusing buildings is not always the easiest path, but we believe it is an important part of our practice that has positively impacted communities around the world.

Projects include:
National Park Service Landmark Buildings:
Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences - New Orleans, LA – previously the World Trade Center building
Vue Orleans Cultural Attraction – New Orleans, LA – previously a restaurant and lounge
The Ames Hotel – Boston, MA – previously an abandoned office tower
The Liberty Hotel – Boston, MA – previously the notorious, 19th century-era Charles Street Jail
Arcus Landmark Depot Offices - Kalamazoo, MI – previously a train depot
Conductor’s Building Restaurant and Bar – Cambridge, MA – previously a conductor’s building
Plymouth Visitor Center – Plymouth, MA – previously a meeting house and church for the First Parish of Plymouth

Preservation, Historic and Adaptive Reuse Projects without Designation:
Boston Children’s Museum – Boston, MA – previously a textile warehouse
26 Court Street Office Building – Boston, MA – historic preservation and workplace modernization of a 1918 office building
WBUR CitySpace Broadcasting Center – Boston, MA – previously a retail shop and auto showroom
Edwards Center for Art and Dance, Bowdoin College – Brunswick, ME – previously an elementary school
San Antonio Museum of Art – San Antonio, TX - previously a brewery
341 Newbury Offices – Boston, MA - previously a multi-story vehicle garage
Nivola Museum – Sardinia, Italy - previously a wash house
Greensboro Cultural Center – Greensboro, NC - previously a news publisher
*Sturgeon City Environmental Center – Jacksonville, NC - previously a wastewater treatment plant
*design only

Other Renovations:
Wilson Hall, Westfield State University – Westfield, MA
The Devonshire Residences – Boston MA
Babson Recreation and Athletic Center – Wellesley, MA
Audubon Nature Institute – New Orleans, Louisiana
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – Springfield, MA
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University Discovery Center – Cambridge, MA
World of Little League Museum – Williamsport, PA
Matouk Linens Headquarters – Fall River, MA
Museum of Science – Boston, MA
New England Aquarium – Boston, MA
National Aquarium – Baltimore, MA
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island – Manteo, NC
Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center – Virginia Beach, VA
Northeastern University – Boston, MA
OH WOW! Children’s Center for Science and Technology – Youngstown, OH
Roundhouse Aquarium – Manhattan Beach, CA
Second Story and Beyond Children’s Museum – Rancho Cucamonga, CA
New Bedford Whaling Museum – New Bedford, MA