AUGUST 7, 2012--Merging the building industry’s latest technology with one of the most famous stories in American history, Suffolk Construction recently completed construction of the new $27 million Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum in time for its grand opening ceremony.
Suffolk leveraged its “build smart” approach and state-of-the-art technologies to meet numerous challenges on this 18,700-sf project. One of the most significant challenges was finding a way to house the extensive mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems in the unusually tight confines of the museum’s attic space. To address this challenge, Suffolk implemented virtual models and BIM early in the planning process to re-work the layout of the MEP systems to ensure they would fit in the allotted space. This innovative solution allowed the team to prefabricate much of the MEP components off site, allowing for a more efficient installation on this very tight building site.
The two-story Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, designed by Margulies Perruzzi Architects, sits on a floating barge with a Tavern/Tea Room on the top floor. The barge is surrounded by two historic replica ships, with a third ship expected to be added in 2014. The adjacent pier building contains a retail store, meeting rooms and offices. +
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
CLT, glulam deliver strength, low profile, and aesthetics for B.C. office building
When he set out to design his company’s new headquarters building on Lakeshore Road in scenic Kelowna, B.C., Tim McLennan of Faction Projects knew quickly that cross-laminated timber was an ideal material.
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
Think you can recognize a metal building from the outside?
It’s getting more and more difficult to spot a metal building these days. What looks like brick, stucco or wood on the outside could actually be a metal building in disguise. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Oct 13, 2014
Liberty Utilities protects installers with Viega MegaPress
Liberty Utilities of New Hampshire wanted a way to keep its installers safe without compromising the quality of their installations, which is why the utility provider decided to start installing Viega MegaPress. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 13, 2014
Department of Agriculture launches Tall Wood Building Competition
The competition invites U.S. developers, institutions, organizations, and design teams willing to undertake an alternative solution approach to designing and building taller wood structures to submit entries for a prize of $2 million.
| Oct 12, 2014
AIA 2030 commitment: Five years on, are we any closer to net-zero?
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the American Institute of Architects’ effort to have architecture firms voluntarily pledge net-zero energy design for all their buildings by 2030.
| Oct 10, 2014
A new memorial by Zaha Hadid in Cambodia departs from the expected
The project sees a departure from Hadid’s well-known use of concrete, fiberglass, and resin. Instead, the primary material will be timber, curved and symmetrical like the Angkor Wat and other Cambodian landmarks.
| Oct 9, 2014
Regulations, demand will accelerate revenue from zero energy buildings, according to study
A new study by Navigant Research projects that public- and private-sector efforts to lower the carbon footprint of new and renovated commercial and residential structures will boost the annual revenue generated by commercial and residential zero energy buildings over the next 20 years by 122.5%, to $1.4 trillion.
| Oct 9, 2014
More recession-postponed design projects are being resurrected, says AIA
About three quarters of the estimated 700 firms that serve as panelists on AIA’s Architectural Billings Index (ABI) had delayed or canceled major design projects in response to recessionary pressures. Nearly one-third of those firms now say they have since restarted stalled projects.
| Oct 9, 2014
Steven Holl's 'intersecting spheres' scheme for Taipei necropolis gets green light
The schematic design has been approved for the 50 000-sm Arrival Hall and Oceanic Pavilion for the Taiwan ChinPaoSan Necropolis.
| Oct 9, 2014
Beyond the bench: Meet the modern laboratory facility
Like office workers escaping from the perceived confines of cubicles, today’s scientists have been freed from the trappings of the typical lab bench, writes Perkins+Will's Bill Harris.
