In order to accommodate growth in the Boston Architectural College's (BAC) undergraduate program and the need for additional thesis studio space, the school acquired an office building adjacent to its existing facilities in Boston's Back Bay. HMFH renovated 15,000 sf of that building into a showpiece thesis studio, critique and conference rooms, classrooms and new administrative space for the BAC.

The studio, flooded with natural light from skylights, features natural wood columns, exposed steel structure and large expanses of well-lit display space, all of which deftly accommodate the intensive, consuming progress from initial concept to final drawings. The new studio includes generous, dedicated work space for each student, with room to lay out large drawings, store materials and prepare presentations. In addition, the new space includes spray painting and model building shops, and adjacent to the studios, critique rooms that allow students to share their work with others.