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2Life Communities Administrative Offices

2Life Communities is a developer of affordable senior living communities with multiple campuses across the greater Boston area. The goal of the project was to consolidate their 55 administrative staff in one building and to promote a stronger office culture with more collaboration.

With limited options for adding new space, the decision was made to build two floors on top of an existing, occupied building. The solution called for building an independent two-story structure over the existing building, supported by four columns and two 90-foot steel trusses. The massive trusses were left exposed and painted a bold yellow to celebrate the structure.

A central café on the first floor serves as a communal gathering spot and is connected through an open central staircase to office space and meeting rooms on the floor above. Meeting rooms run along the exterior of the upper floor, with offices and workstations along the interior. The bright yellow of the trusses is carried to the second floor through accent walls and furniture selection. Glass walls on the meeting rooms allow for natural light to flow into the interior open workspaces connecting everyone to views of the outdoors.

2Life Communities won the American Institute of Steel Construction IDEA2 Award in 2022.