The extensive renovation at WCA hit some architectural high notes for us at JSD in terms of the development’s importance to the architectural history of Roxbury, the technical demands of the proposed renovation, and because of the important work of preserving 70 units of housing in this tenant-owned affordable development.
The development was designed by Carl Koch, an American architect of the mid-century modern era, and developer of pre-fab housing and the Techcrete Building System. WCA was designed as a multi-family residential pilot – Koch’s first such development – which sits high on the puddingstone of Roxbury. The concrete plank and panel system suffered air and water infiltration over the decades. The exterior skin was completely removed to the studs and rebuilt from the exterior, keeping tenants in place throughout the renovation. New framing, insulation, windows, and ventilation system improved indoor air quality and energy efficiency. The multi-level site received necessary upgrades in the form of brick paver inlaid designs, resurfacing of concrete walkways, restoration and painting of handrails, new and historically contextual site furnishings, traditional mid-century paint colors, and improved and more cohesive signage and wayfinding.
