ISU Design West-Quick Facts

ISU Design West Studio at a Glance

History

The utilitarian boiler steam plant that now houses the ISU Design West studio was built in 1890 to heat the Boston Investment Company's buildings (Major Block, Plymouth Block, Boston Block and Bay State Block) along Fourth Street.
Conflicting with its original role as a solely functional facility hidden in the alley, the building features the Richardson Romanesque arched windows so frequently found on the grander buildings of Historic Fourth Street.

Exterior

The facades of the building are relatively unchanged; even the ghost painting on the bricks from decades ago remains.
The 80-foot-tall smokestack will have signage that reads ISU Design West.
Large-pane windows allow passersby to view two floors of activity at once.
The glass manhole covers in the alley/plaza provide a unique view to the displays in the downstairs gallery.

Interior

As much as possible, new elements of the building such as ductwork and plumbing have been left exposed to demonstrate how the facility functions.
The large windows allow for ample daylighting to reduce the facility's lighting energy requirements.
All windows are equipped with automatic shades.
The flooring is a combination of maple wood and concrete.
The walls are a combination of the building's original stone and brick as well as newly installed display and partition walls.

Interior-Main Level

The main level of the building features a more than 30-foot-tall atrium, a high-tech 40-seat lecture space, offices and a reading room.
Bookshelves with translucent walls allow diffused light into the space.

Interior-Lower Level

The lower level of the building features a large studio space and atrium space for review.
The walls on the lower level are made of quartzite and are over three feet thick.
A close look at the walls reveals patched former steam tunnels.
The most outstanding features of the lower level are the two archways into the tunnel beneath the alley. The tunnel will be used as a gallery and can be viewed from the glass-covered manholes above.

Updated 08/28/07-12:38 PID:1209