ICON Architecture

1550 on the Charles transforms a 1.65-acre former industrial site into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented development with 249 new residential units in two unique buildings. Marking a key gateway into the Boston Landing district, the project both engages the changing neighboring context and takes inspiration from its riverfront setting. The two separate buildings engage the landscape, with entry courts, outdoor amenity areas, private patios, and decks for upper floor units.

The apartment building’s corners playfully “ripple” decks and bays to engage the visual connection to the riverfront, alternating between recess and projection, adding shadow and interest to dissolve the inside/outside boundary. At the “ripple” corners, brightly colored shingles clad the angled walls, to provide a rich texture, like that of water walls with a lively patterning. The alternate recessed floors are clad in a “wood-look” siding, connecting to the natural setting of the parkland along the river. Large, punched openings in these facades reveal groups of residential decks, and engage the larger scale of this broad parkway, with decks twisting to enhance the river view. At the entry courtyard, a projecting frame groups windows over the building entry in a simple gesture to direct attention to the lobby beyond the broad, landscaped courtyard.