Photo courtesy of Dyer Brown

What: College of Arts, Media and Design
Where: 360 Huntington Ave., Boston
Owner: Northeastern University
Built: 2019 

A revamp of Northeastern University’s Media Services department has created a more efficient and collaborative space at the school’s College of Arts, Media and Design. 

Dyer Brown designed rows of high-density, contemporary millwork for a new storage system that reduces wait times to sign out audiovisual equipment by students and staff. Full-height glass replaced walls to form a visual connection between the department and corridor. 

Furniture on casters allow for reconfiguration of the space and a section can be closed off by a folding wall installation with full-height “smart glass” that can be turned opaque for private meetings. And wood baffles were installed on a portion of the ceiling to create a “heads-down” work area.  

They Said It: 

“The equipment checkout process was too slow, in part because the storage area wasn’t suited to the inventory. The university recognized this, and selected us to redesign the department office to support enhanced staff performance, and to make the rest of the space more effective and useful for students and faculty.”
— Erin Powell, project architect, Dyer Brown