Jarvis Street Walk Up Housing

Built on what was once an empty parking lot, the Jarvis Street walk-up housing was designed to create a habitable and enjoyable urban living environment for residents of Boston's Symphony neighborhood. Three notable adjustments were made in the overall design of the complex. The first of these moves was a stepping back in section, allowing for the creation of unobstructed outdoor spaces. The second main adjustment is a 45-degree tilt on the overall building orientation. This allowed for more glass facade availability. The final design adjustment was the curving and warping of the facade. This not only created rhythmic clarity to those passing by on the street, but also created more encompassing views in the corner units. The addition of tilt to the complex also created a large amount of open green space—a commodity in such an urban area. This space contains features for both public and private interaction, depending on location.

 

For the Jarvis Street housing, apartment types and sizes were chosen based on expected clientele. In the Symphony neighborhood, there are a mix of families and students. The southern module itself sits right next to Northeastern University housing. The first floor apartments are designed for families and groups of students. These units are accessible and provide greater square footage. The second and third floors contain typical, single bedroom units. These units, like every other, have terraces for outdoor access. Starting on the second floor are the "townhome" units which, though having the same square footage as other one-bedroom units, have a lofted bedroom and double-height living space. These units are more compact, and thus focused towards university students. The final fourth floor contains the three-bedroom units, each of which is accessed separately from the third floor, due to local building code.

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The Jarvis Street housing project transforms an underutilized urban lot into a thoughtfully designed residential complex that maximizes outdoor space, natural light, and diverse living options to serve the varied needs of Boston's Symphony neighborhood community.