Aircraft Carrier Film Shed, instructor: Jeffry Burchard; Boston, MA.

Aircraft Carrier Film Shed seeks to reflect upon the multiple histories of the Seaport district while addressing the contemporary urban waterfront fabric.

A comparison of the structural spans of (1) FOA’s Yokohma Ferry Terminal (waterfront shed) and (2) the aircraft carrier (militarized shed) yielded the spine of the building: a rhythmic array of box girders run perpendicular to the shipping channel. This 80’-0” lateral span allows for sound stages of various sizes that accommodate a range of projects from small academic endeavors to major motion pictures.

The building is lifted above the site; piers are auger piled in the bedrock, indicating a lifespan that may outlive the ambiguous future of Boston’s waterfront. The proposed site topography contains a series of circulation corridors and floodplains, addressing imminent storm surge.