Communal by Nature

10 Stack Street at Hood Park
Charlestown, MA

As the first office building planned for the Hood Park Master Plan, 10 Stack Street is an ambitious, Class A structure of approximately 390,000 sf. Its design accommodates tenants seeking a mix of technologically-advanced office and lab space, while also incorporating below-grade parking, green amenity spaces, and retail programming at the ground level.

The building’s height of 232 ft, combined with its prominent positioning, grants an unencumbered sky view on the axis of Hood Park Drive and accentuates the historical “Hoods Milk” smokestack–a beloved Charlestown landmark since 1928. 

Organic Influences

Indigo Ag, a Boston-based international agricultural company and initial anchor tenant in Hood Park, had a major impact on 10 Stack Street’s design. SMMA’s architects are fashioning the building to represent the company’s business, which includes developing organic seed technology for use around the world. In acknowledgement, the façade screen takes a cue from the precise geometries found in rural agriculture, mimicking what one might find when looking at an aerial view of a carefully planted crop with its corners cut perfectly and its straight rows receding into infinity. The form and materials of this façade embody Indigo’s motto:

“Harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet.”
Panorama view of 10 Stack Street at Charlestown's Hood Park
Form finding concept sketches for 10 Stack Street at Hood Park
Animation showing massing concepts at 10 Stack Street at Hood Park

Connecting the Park

The new building displays a kinship to the rest of the proposed Hood Park through rich symbolism and meaning. The massing of 10 Stack Street is divided into three vertical sections, establishing a rotation of the building in response to the circular smokestack while visually diminishing the longer axis of the building. The sections form a gentle concave shape with pleats and folds that embrace the street and its surroundings. The section closest to Hood Park Drive is the lowest in height: the building gradually steps up until it reaches its ultimate height at the northernmost section, thus calling attention to the new Hood Park’s enhanced skyline.

  

Evoking the Location

The 10 Stack lobby serves as a formal point of entry and as its own destination. Communal by nature, it provides a variety of perks to its tenants: a variety of seating opportunities, intimate alcoves that establish a sense of privacy while still remaining connected to the broader space, and direct access to the street and greenery surrounding the building. From the exterior, the lobby appears modern and comprised entirely of glass, but its interiors are lustrous and reminiscent of Hood Park’s historic ties. Refined dark metals are contrasted by warm, inviting gray wood types and abstracted natural stone. The vertical planes of the space remain strong and direct, while focused lighting helps establish intersections of place, much like the railroad tracks that were once present on the site.

Plaza and glass facade entrance 10 Stack Street at Charlestown's Hood Park

Standout Sustainability

10 Stack was designed to out-perform the stringent Massachusetts Energy Stretch Code, as well as to achieve a LEEDv4 Core and Shell Silver Certification. Primary energy savings are realized by a reduction in burned fossil fuels through daylighting design, the innovative use of lighting, and supported by a highly-insulated building enclosure. A combined on-site co-generation central plant serving the 10 Stack and 30 Stack facilities introduces a resiliency strategy through islanding capacity.

 

Water savings for the building are projected to be 30% over a conventional building; it is PV-ready and includes vegetated green roofs. Other sustainable features include access to public transportation, bike and shower facilities, and EV charging stations. 10 Stack also optimizes the use of sustainable materials such as FSC wood, recycled content, and regional sourcing.