Natick Collection

BBB has transformed The Natick Collection, a well-known Boston-area shopping center that first opened its doors in 1966, into a dynamic and architecturally significant, high-end retail environment. In addition to renovating the existing facility, BBB incorporated 100 new stores and 550,000 SF into an overall development that also includes luxury condominiums and below-grade parking. Natick, a Native American word loosely translated as "Place of Rolling Hills," provided inspiration for a design that incorporates a softly undulating arcade ceiling with curved clerestories and expansive skylights that filter in natural light. Large-scale custom porcelain tile in circulation zones, accented with curved patterns, evokes the richness of stone, and wood flooring on the second level provides an unexpectedly high-quality finish for a retail environment. To further animate the interior, landscape artist Martha Schwartz created a series of transformative vertical elements consisting of hanging canopies of colored metal leaves floating over groves of abstracted birch stalks.

Print Project