As warm weather approaches, we’re excited to drink up some summertime at our favorite bars in the city.
A spot we find ourselves returning to again and again - Pressed Café at the Prudential. Operating as a café by day and a bar by night, this dimly lit and moody lounge is perfect for unwinding after work, a date or meeting up with friends during a night out.
Client partner: Pressed Café
📸: Anton Grassl
Today we celebrate an incredible milestone — 20 years of Laura Homich at PCA.
Laura has long been the heart and soul of PCA, helping shape not only our projects, but our culture, values and community. Long before sustainability became central to industry conversations, Laura was championing it within our practice and helping establish the foundation for PCA’s leadership in sustainable design.
Her clients trust her deeply and genuinely love working with her. From mixed-use and retail developments to placemaking, affordable housing, senior living and multifamily communities, Laura brings passion, care and purpose to every project.
Inside the office, Laura has been a constant advocate for people, helping foster a culture where everyone feels supported, respected and valued. She is also at the center of the many activities and traditions that make PCA such a connected and supportive community.
Laura leads with kindness, fairness and integrity, and her impact on PCA over the last two decades has been immeasurable.
Congratulations, Laura, on 20 remarkable years at PCA.
Twelve years ago, we re-imagined and transformed this standard strip mall into an active mix of specialty shops linked by multiple pedestrian walkways that function as merchant rows, alive with sidewalk cafés and retail display windows.
Today, The Street at Chestnut Hill continues to be an active destination with plenty of places to shop, stroll and experience - encouraging longer stays and return visits.
Client partner WS Development
📸 Michael Blanchard and PCA Principal Mark Eclipse
At PCA, community is a process. In partnership with Just A Start and the Somerville Community Land Trust, we are shaping housing at 297 Medford Street with the people who will live around it.
Through open public design sessions, Somerville residents, neighbors and stakeholders are invited to engage and share input that directly informs the design. The focus is on listening, observing how people gather and connect, and translating that into spaces that feel inclusive and grounded in the community.
This project will transform a vacant lot into permanently affordable homes that remain accessible to current and future community members, while reflecting the character of the neighborhood.
As PCA’s team of sustainable designers continues to grow, so does our understanding of the decarbonization of operations + embodied carbon in both existing and new buildings.
Our in-house carbon experts develop actionable plans for sustainability improvements, specify healthy building materials and maintain a holistic understanding of the life cycle of a building.
To continue this conversation, meet up with PCA’s Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Specialist and ‘Technical Workflows for Carbon Reduction’ panelist Juhi Goel, Sustainability Principal Laura Homich, Director of Sustainability DiAnn Tufts and sustainable design expert Ben Wakelin at the Carbon Expert Summit in Boston on May 7th!
Register at link in bio.
A throwback, but a design that is still on our minds.
At Drive Custom Fit in Salem NH, their bold brand is embodied in graphics and finishes – leveraging the gym’s brand both inside and out.
Drive’s expansive space is designed to adapt and support their class-driven curriculum. Customized fitness programs are held in 8 specialized studios including high-temperature training, a mind-body yoga suite and outdoor studio.
The ground floor space is designed to maximize flexibility for equipment placement. Bold lighting and graphics amplify Drive’s motto, “A Fire Inside.”
Client partner: DriveCustomFit
📸: FlauntBoston and AntonGrassl
Today, we're taking a look back at RADIUS in Allston, MA.
As one of the first major developments on the northern edge of the Western Avenue Corridor, RADIUS greets travelers and residents as they cross into Boston from Watertown and sets the tone for the entire neighborhood.
The sophisticated aesthetic caters to the growing population of young professionals in the area. The thoughtfully designed building façade in combination with fresh interior design, inspired by the nearby Charles River, make for an unforgettable atmosphere.
Client partner: The Mount Vernon Company
📸: Anton Grassl
The Urge to Be Together
Tracy Dupont on Design’s Antidote for Screen Time
Director of Interior Design, Tracy Dupont, NCIDQ, IIDA, LEED AP leads PCA’s Interiors team.
More about Tracy at link in bio. Connect with her to continue the conversation.
Our work within the City of Watertown continues at 33 Mount Auburn Street in Watertown MA.
Similar to PCA’s 108 Water Street project, 33 Mount Auburn Street, was made viable by Watertown’s new Watertown Square Area zoning, and is the second project approved since its adoption. This new 40-unit, Passive House and mixed-use building completes the urban fabric of Watertown Square. At the corner of Mount Auburn and Taylor streets, a public pocket park adds community green space to the neighborhood.
Client and project partner: Torrington Properties and MDLA
The new vision for the revitalized West Newton Cinema is here. A neighborhood icon since 1937, this historic landmark will restore its Art Deco beauty and reestablish itself as a vibrant destination for film and culture.
More at link in bio.
Congratulations to Nidhi John AIA, on 20 years at PCA.
From the very beginning, Nidhi has made a lasting mark on PCA’s culture, bringing warmth, care and a deep sense of purpose to our work. She is respected by clients and colleagues alike for her design expertise and project leadership and is known as a strong, organized and proactive leader. She is also a thoughtful and reliable partner to our clients, someone they trust and enjoy working with.
Nidhi is an active part of our culture, consistently participating in office activities, volunteering with our charitable partners and leading the firm’s Foundation with care.
Thank you, Nidhi, for being such an integral part of PCA, for embodying the core and the heart of our mission and values.
From restaurants, large gathering spaces and campus dining facilities to retail and mixed use design - lighting sets the mood.
PCA’s in-house lighting design expert, Lindsay Bach creates warm, inviting environments that make people feel welcome, bringing them back time and time again.
