Berklee College of Music
Percussion Department Renovation

BOSTON, MA

Days before the Fall 2005 semester, rainstorms flooded the 10,000 SF basement of 1140 Boylston Street, home to the Percussion Department Studios, offices and teaching spaces. Although a devastating blow to the department, the flood provided an opportunity to address deficiencies and transform the space into the most desirable, state-of-the-art facilities on campus.

Our design enlivened the complex by exposing and lighting the massive granite block foundation walls and providing acoustically appropriate glass doors to bring transparency and vibrancy to what had been a dark space. We re-sized studios and performance classrooms, and incorporated proper acoustic separation and isolation for demanding users and sensitive abutters. We updated inadequate ventilation and HVAC systems and addressed all the acoustical, water infiltration and structural issues which had plagued the space over time. The project was delivered on a fast track schedule to open in time for the 2006 school year.