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Design Approach
A process for responsible design; one philosophy, comprised of many parts.
01
One Health
Our health is inextricably linked to the health of our planet. One Health means designing for both. We design and build in ways that improve habitats, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.
02
Form, Function, Fabrication
PLACEHOLDER
Design must be legible to the people who it most affects and to the public
more broadly. Form emerges through a process of deep immersion in the
history, context, and among the stakeholders of a project. It reflects the place
it resides, its climate, its ecology, and its culture.
From accompaniment, we define the mission of a project and what impact it
will have beyond its walls. That definition becomes our evaluative framework,
from which together, we can gauge decisions, from the spaces that are
needed, to the form they take, to the materials we choose.
03
Narrative Development
PLACEHOLDER
As a mission-based organization, MASS has demonstrated that architecture has a critical role to play in supporting communities to confront history, collectively heal, shape new narratives, and project new possibilities for the future.
PLACEHOLDER
Our work focuses on leveraging architecture, as well as inclusive design and construction processes, to create better health, justice, equity, and long-term sustainability.
MASS helps partners develop project visions as a tool to uncover the cultures, histories, and everyday experiences that inform design and make projects possible. The process of collecting narratives helps us understand and convey why a building was needed, who it is being built for, and whose hands constructed it.
04
Building Integrity
PLACEHOLDER
Our construction team is guided by the principles of lean construction, a production management-based approach to project delivery that is driven first and foremost by respect for people. This process is designed to minimize waste and, as a result, maximize value and improve project outcomes for all stakeholders. By engaging and respecting every person on a project, MASS.Build can leverage all of our shared knowledge and experience to find new and improved ways to achieve our clients and partners’ goals and impacts, which includes a commitment to sustainability and dignity through design.
05
Accompaniment & Proximity
PLACEHOLDER
Getting proximate is necessary to understand the unique constraints and opportunities, uncover questions we didn’t know need to ask, build relationships, and develop a shared vision for how design can achieve the project mission. This expanded concept of engagement also meaningfully brings a broader group of stakeholders into the process.
06
Performance & Provenance
PLACEHOLDER
We design projects that are impactful, efficient, and healthy. We optimize service delivery by leveraging evidence-based research and design strategies that are proven to improve outcomes. We achieve efficiency across projects by leveraging passive systems, paired with low-energy climate control, and optimized use of space. We design for health using deep expertise in designing for air quality, use of healthy materials, and research for improving user well-being. Our landscapes are functional and regenerative — restoring biodiversity and ecosystems.
Where our materials come from matters. We use materials that have positive social and environmental impact throughout the supply chain. This starts with transparency to ensure climate positive materials and the use of ethical labor from the source of extraction to the point of installation. What happens to our buildings and materials at their end of life also matters. We design buildings that are durable and adaptable by selecting materials that can be reused in the future.