Top 100: CBT HERE, THERE, EVERYWHERE

CBT Architects has a big Boston footprint: a 1M SF mixed use project rising on the 19th century Atlantic Wharf; re-design of the 1960?s era Prudential Center; and restoration of several stately 1800?s mansions on Beacon St in the Back Bay. The 120-person firm has also turned abroad to the UK, Curacao, Abu Dhabi, and Taiwan.
After 42 years treading gingerly through complex local development guidelines here, founding partner Richard Bertman (right) says the firm has a chance to be more adventurous in designing projects in the Mid East, Caribbean, and Asia , where the above residential tower will be built. He tells us ?Boston is much more conservative.? We snapped him at CBT with Weiyu Lai, Margaret Deutsch,Shawnie Wang, Chris Coios, and John Carlson.
The design team on one of the city's most ambitious current projects, Boston Property's nearly 1M SF, $400M Atlantic Wharf: Philip Casey, Jaejoung Kang, Junior Li, John Bedell and Henry Celli. About 60% built, the new 31-story, 750k SF office tower is rising behind and around three historic structures, which, when completed in 2011, will house about 85 rental apartments and 30k SF of ground floor retail. With six years of public approvals under their belt, and more ?still trickling? in, project manager Phil says the biggest hurdle was designing a contemporary glass tower that's compatible with the historic wharf buildings that sit on Boston Harbor. ?It took a lot of permitting.? Stow that one away for Best Understatements of 2010.
We snapped Chuck Schwalm and Johanna Flynn fine tuning elements of the United Teen Equality Center in Lowell, an 1840 church being expanded and converted into an afterschool center. The one-year project should start this summer. With the kids reviewing designs, Chuck says it had to be ?crazy? and cool. One element the youngsters wanted: convert the old church steeple into a solar chimney.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Boston Newsletters
Related Stories

Energy Company Opens 125K SF Newton Office: The Boston Deal Sheet

Simon Approaching End Of The Road With Struggling Suburban Boston Mall

Downtown Atlanta Improvement Group Picks Food Bank Chief As Next Leader

Wu Proposes Tax Breaks To Jump-Start Stalled Housing Projects

Trump's DEI Crackdown Is Creating New Risks For Landlords That Lease To The Government

Oxford Properties' U.S. Investment Head On Why It's Buying Office Again — And Where

Brandon Johnson Seeks Second Term Amid Strained CRE Relationship

Davis Looks To Sell 16-Building Beacon Hill, Back Bay Portfolio

Former CBRE Exec Suing Brokerage Giant Over Age Discrimination, Whistleblower Complaint

D.C. Investor Behind The Stacks Swaps CEO For First Time In 25 Years

Healey's New Data Center Rules Make Massachusetts A Tough Sell For Developers

Anthropic Doubling Local Presence With Cambridge Office Lease