Confidential Pharmaceutical Client | 60 First Street Lab and Office Fit-Out | Cambridge, Massachusetts

The fit-out was located within an existing mid-rise building with multiple tenants, third party General Contractors, and an active lab space in East Cambridge. These intricacies required careful coordination with building facilities, the tenants, and the client. To eliminate unplanned impacts to the base building or active systems, DPR coordinated with key trades to develop Methods of Procedure (MOP) to document and communicate any shutdowns or utility tie-ins well ahead of time to ensure zero impact to the building's operations. The MOPs served as a clear outline of how and when the work was to be conducted, and ensured alignment, documentation and clear notice for all stakeholders. All MOPs were reviewed and approved by key stakeholders from a technical and safety lens before work was conducted. 

The team also leveraged Impact Notifications, a visual tool provided to the client’s construction team to communicate with end users/lab occupants on what to expect when construction activities would impact or occur in their spaces. Through these tools, the DPR team demonstrated high standards for communication, attention to detail, and transparency to reinforce a strong relationship with both the Building Engineer and client. This process resulted in a smooth Phase 1 turnover, set the team up for success of the additional phases, and led to a contract for additional work with the base building landlord. 

Due to the project's phased turnover, DPR had an increased level of coordination with the client's tenants located on Level 3. Upon turnover of Phase 1, DPR installed STARC panels and prefabricated aluminum panels that created a safe and aesthetically pleasing boundary between the recently occupied tenants and the additional phases of work on the floors above. Following Phase 1 occupancy, DPR ensured careful coordination between the existing tenants on Level 2 and the newly occupied tenants on Level 3 in order to complete work on Levels 4 and 5.  

DPR's in-house Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team laser scanned the existing core and shell conditions onsite. The laser scan generated a 3D model of the base building as-built conditions for the project team to use during the BIM Coordination process. This scan was used during the coordination process to identify conflicts between the new design and core-shell utilities, so they could be resolved prior to the start of work. Using this approach helped mitigate existing conditions conflicts and rework once work started in the field, allowing for a better and more consistent workflow. DPR Drywall also modeled all soffit, drywall, framing and bracing into master coordination models to coordinate around new and existing to remain work. This made the field models more accurate, as shown in the images below.

Dusty Robotics was then utilized for wall layout, as well as locating lab equipment on the floor slabs. The floor level equipment layout was paired with a virtual reality walk-through of the space for the client's executive team and lab end users.  

A key distinguishing feature of work (DFoW) is the architectural staircase that spans all three levels. The staircase is comprised of pre-fabricated metal panels that required their own unique design and modeling process. In addition to serving as an architectural feature, the panels also served as structural components, requiring precision fit to tolerances within 1/8”. To ensure maximum accuracy, DPR partnered with the miscellaneous metals trade team to laser scan the staircase area after cutting holes in the slabs, allowing the panels to be built to precise coordinates.  

Due to DPR’s collaborative project execution and commitment to schedule, budget and quality, the team was able to turn over the project to the client ahead of schedule and under budget.