The nation’s preeminent creator of pubic broadcast content,
WGBH, consolidated operations from a dozen buildings into a three-facility complex in Boston. The $85 million, LEED certified headquarters includes offices, a 210-seat theater and a 1,800-square-foot (167-m2) performance studio.
Visible to travelers on the Massachusetts Turnpike, the headquarters is located in Boston’s Brighton neighborhood. The 310,000-square-foot (28,799-m2) complex features several attention-catching architectural components, including a 480-foot
(146-m) crystalline beam that houses offices for the creative content providers. The horizontal structure bridges the gap between an existing seven story administrative building and a two-story technical operations center, serving a functional and symbolic purpose. The beam also features LED panels integrated on the north and west façades. The 30- by 45-foot (9- by 14-m) panel on the west signals arrival in Boston to the more than 1 million visitors that pass by the turnpike each week. The panels display images of the science, history, drama and children’s programming that have defined WGBH.
“We think of them as ‘digital murals,'” said Chris Pullman, vice president for branding and visual communication at WGBH.
Morin Corp., Bristol, Conn., supplied 80,000square feet (7,432 m2) of exposed fastener, Integrity Series and concealed fastener panels for the project. The exterior wall of the technical operations center was constructed using Morin’s corrugated aluminum panels in Blue, Light Gray and Dark Gray, which were used in conjunction with the glass windows and aluminum sunscreens from Oldcastle Glass Vistawall, Santa Monica, Calif., featured on the south side of the building site. The Morin panels offer economic flexibility and increased weather resistance. Additionally, the building includes solar panels.
The WGBH headquarters also includes sensor lighting and heating systems in offices and conference rooms, a reflective roof, and the use of paints,adhesives and sealants that emit little to no VOCs. Polshek Partnership Architects, New York City, was the architect; Turner Construction, Boston, was the general contractor; and Karas and Karas Glass Co., Boston, was the installer.
Morin Corp.
Oldcastle Glass Vistawall
