Following last week’s visit to New York City-based Marvel, we are moving our Meet Your Next Employer series to Boston this week, where we meet Peter Rose + Partners.

From their studio in Boston’s South End, where they have been based since 1991, the firm operates along a philosophy grounded in research, sustainability, and collaboration. In 2020 alone, this approach saw the firm gain three AIA awards in architecture and interior design for their Bare Hill Residence, More Than Words Bookstore renovation, and Island Residence. 

Over on Archinect Jobs, the firm is currently hiring for a Studio Manager and Executive Assistant. For candidates interested in applying for a position, or anybody interested in learning more about life at an architecture studio, we spoke with the team at Peter Rose + Partners for a behind-the-scenes look at the firm.

How did Peter Rose + Partners get started?

Peter Rose + Partners, Inc is an architecture and urban design firm that grew from the Office of Peter Rose, which began in Montreal in the 1980s, and since 1991 has been based in the Boston area.

How big is your team?

10-25 people.

Describe the area of Boston your office is located in.

The South End is an historic and industrial area of Boston proper, near the harbor and Chinatown.

What is your favorite thing about working in Boston?

The ability to walk and ride to work because of our proximity to the city and its diversity. 

Is your team working fully in the office or on a hybrid schedule?

We have partners in Florida, California, and Boston with clients the world over (and all on different time zones); we’re a hybrid office by necessity but our home base is set in Boston’s South End.

Is your office open-plan or subdivided?

We designed and renovated our open-plan office in 2016 to be spacious, light-filled, and easily navigated.

Mac or PC?

Our office uses PC but all programs are Mac-compatible.

If you held a movie night for the firm, what movie would you show and why?

The film City Dreamers (2018) which features 3 pioneering women in architecture, including Phyllis Lambert, a collaborator of our Founding principal Peter, with whom he collaborated on the Canadian Centre of Architecture in Montreal. We love this film because it portrays and highlights all the work done by women in architecture who were and are historically overlooked.

What does your office ‘sound’ like? Do you listen to music or radio at work, can you hear the city life outside, or is it a place of quiet work?

The crunch of trace paper, Frankie’s laugh, faint echo of industrial sewing machines from the seamstress center below, car honks in the distance and sometimes thunder. Our office is a quiet but invigorating workplace.

Where is the most popular lunch spot in or around the office?

We love Tatte on Harrison, Formaggio Kitchen on Shawmut, and any place with wings (Wings Over Boston!).

What is the most popular design tool in the office?

Our essentials include: yellow pencils with 2b lead (must be 2b), scale, trace paper, plotter printer, and of course, cookies and coffee.

What position(s) are you currently hiring for?

We are looking for a Studio Manager and Executive Assistant who can adapt to ever-changing conditions and who wants to grow as a part of a highly collaborative team.

What project(s) are the new team members likely to be working on?

Our Studio Manager is the first person anyone approaching Peter Rose + Partners, from clients to contractors, will interact with to, publishers and old friends of the firm’s; architecture happens at a fast pace—our Studio Manager is involved with any and all projects that come across the desk.

In three words, how would you sum up Peter Rose + Partners’ ethos?

Collaborative, sustainable, and focused on people, rather than product.

Meet Your Next Employer is one of a number of ongoing weekly series showcasing the opportunities available on our industry-leading job board. Our Job Highlights series looks at intriguing and topical employment opportunities currently available on Archinect Jobs, while our weekly roundups curate job opportunities by location, career level, and job description.