Chan Krieger NBBJ, Boston, MA, US, Designer

University of Cincinnati, BArch, SAID - Architecture

Lyceum Fellowship, 2nd Place

Old meets new on a site recently opened up to a greenway as a result of the "Big Dig" atop a building in Boston's historic financial district. Construction on the roofs of existing commercial buildings presents a unique set of challenges. These include constructability, privacy, mixed-use design, and economies of scale. The focus of the project is dealing with these constraints creatively, while emphasizing advances in material science construction techniques and energy efficiency.

The program calls for a lightweight, energy-efficient, flexible, urban penthouse that meets the needs of a family of four that includes a professional musician, a venture capitalist and two teenage children.

Jury Comments:
The juror who spoke of "giving back" to Boston lobbied to award this entry the first prize because he felt this solution represented the "best aesthetic for the city." Another juror agreed that this design does indeed give back to the city, and envisioned this concept "leading to glowing penthouses across town."; This solution impressed all the jurors with what they referred to as its "iconography" - at night the home is an elegant, gently lit lantern. The student was praised as very inventive, "the focus on the outer wall and its imagery is very successful,"...