Museum of Science Public Science Common

An exemplar of adaptive reuse, the Public Science Common at the Boston Museum of Science creates a flexible light-filled gathering space for the Boston community along the Charles River. Supporting the Museum’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035, the project combines transformative public space with a high-performance, resilient design.

Atelier Ten developed the project’s environmental strategy, translating the Museum’s carbon-neutral ambitions into a design approach centered on performance, visitor comfort, and long-term resilience. Central to this approach is a high-performance double-skin façade, carefully refined through Atelier Ten’s energy and daylight modeling to balance transparency, comfort, and efficiency. The façade design was optimized to maximize daylight and views while carefully controlling solar gain and glare, reducing energy demand and enhancing visitor experience. A cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure and responsibly sourced wood finishes reduce embodied carbon while creating healthy, durable interiors.

All-electric building systems further minimize operational carbon, combining air source heat pumps with high-efficiency air handling, energy recovery, and demand-controlled ventilation. A rooftop photovoltaic array will generate approximately 129,000 kWh annually, offsetting roughly 18% of the project’s energy use and reducing energy cost by nearly 28%.