flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Arthaus residential units and community art gallery debut in Allston, Mass.

Multifamily Housing

Arthaus residential units and community art gallery debut in Allston, Mass.

PCA-designed residential community includes 74 apartments, 9 condos by The Mount Vernon Company.


By PCA | November 29, 2021
A patron takes in the latest collection at Arthaus's gallery, in Allston, Mass. Photo: Unbound Visual Arts
A patron takes in the latest collection at Arthaus's gallery, in Allston, Mass. Photo: Unbound Visual Arts

Allston, Mass. – Architecture, interiors, and planning firm PCA has completed Arthaus, an art-focused residential development in the heart of Boston’s Allston neighborhood.

Located at the intersection of North Beacon and Everett Streets, Arthaus, the latest development by The Mount Vernon Company, is composed of a five-story, 72-unit apartment residence and a separate nine-unit condominium building.

Arthaus’s glassed-in lobby showcases local artists and a street-level public plaza with seating on North Beacon Street. The gallery, managed by Unbound Visual Arts, an Allston-Brighton–based nonprofit arts organization, engages those passing by to view an ever-changing display of locally created artwork.

Arthaus gallery, Allston, Mass.
Unbound Visual Arts, a local arts nonprofit, maintains the new gallery. Photo: Michael Reilly, FSMPS

PCA’s design features a distinctive, contemporary façade inspired by the Japanese origami, with waveform patterns zigzagging through the corrugated metal exterior.

DESIGN ADDS NEW ENERGY TO ALLSTON NEIGHBORHOOD

“We know from years of experience that a great design appeals to tenants and outperforms competing properties,” said Bruce A. Percelay, Chairman and Founder of The Mount Vernon Company. “We want to be the best in any neighborhood where we compete, and we express that through architecture. PCA’s design adds new energy to a neighborhood known for its eclectic eateries, entertainment venues, and locally owned shops.”

“With Arthaus, we wanted to create a one-of-a-kind residential experience that reflects the artistic and diverse cultural character of the neighborhood,” said PCA Principal Dave Snell, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “Allston has long been at the heart of Boston’s arts and music community, and the connection between the Arthaus design, the building’s amenities, and its community engagement clearly struck a chord with residents.” Arthaus was fully leased before its completion.

WIDE RANGE OF TENANT AMENITIES

The recently occupied residence offers a wide range of high-end tenant amenities at a price point below competing properties: a rooftop gathering and entertaining space with 360-degree city views, on-site underground parking, a high-tech fitness center with Peloton bikes and a MIRROR interactive fitness system, electric vehicle charging stations, and a dog park and pet spa.

Arthaus is the latest of a dozen creative collaborations between PCA and The Mount Vernon Company over the past decade. The two teamed up to produce the LEED Platinum–certified Allston Green District in Boston, the 164-room Revolution Hotel – selected as the #1 Hotel in Boston by Condé Nast Traveler, and Radius, a LEED Gold–certified, mixed-use development featuring 132 apartments and ground-floor retail space in Brighton.

PCA Arthaus EXT view night Anton Grassl
Nightime exterior view of Arthaus highlights the Unbound Visual Arts gallery. Photo: Anton Grassl

Owner: The Mount Vernon Company

Architect: PCA

Construction Manager: Cranshaw Construction

Branding & Design: Visual Dialogue

Interior Design: Superette Studio

MEP Engineer: AKF Group

Structural Engineer: Odeh Engineers

Landscape Architect: RBLA Design

​UVA technical staff set up the latest showing at Arthaus's gallery.
​UVA volunteers set up the latest showing at Arthaus's gallery. Photo: Unbound Visual Arts

ABOUT PCA

PCA, founded in 1982 and based in Cambridge, is recognized as one of Greater Boston’s largest, most responsive and innovative design firms. The firm’s creative staff brings a blend of business insight and creative problem-solving to each project. With expertise in architecture, planning, and interior design, the firm’s thoughtful, award-winning design has generated one success after another for our clients — projects that thrive in the marketplace and bring lasting value to the community.

ABOUT THE MOUNT VERNON COMPANY

Mount Vernon Company is a real estate investment company recognized as one of the leading apartment property owners in Massachusetts. The company, founded by Bruce A. Percelay, has grown over the past 30 years to include 1,600 apartments, five hotels, and select commercial and vacation properties. Mount Vernon Company received the Community Excellence Award from the Rental Housing Association of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, the Paragon Award for Industry Excellence by the National Apartment Association, Best Landlord in Boston recognition by Boston Magazine, and Best Places to Work in Boston award by the Boston Business Journal.

Related Stories

| Jul 10, 2014

Unique design of Toronto's townhome The Tree House

Plans for a new Toronto townhome brings cutting-edge design.

| Jul 7, 2014

7 emerging design trends in brick buildings

From wild architectural shapes to unique color blends and pattern arrangements, these projects demonstrate the design possibilities of brick. 

| Jul 7, 2014

A climate-controlled city is Dubai's newest colossal project

To add to Dubai's already impressive portfolio of world's tallest tower and world's largest natural flower garden, Dubai Holding has plans to build the world's largest climate-controlled city.

| Jul 3, 2014

Gehry edits Canadian skyscraper plan to be 'more Toronto'

After being criticized for the original tower complex, architect Frank Gehry unveils a new design that is more subtle, and "more Toronto."

| Jul 2, 2014

SHoP designs what would be Brooklyn's tallest building

JDS Development partners with SHoP to construct a 70-story building at 775-feet tall, unprecedented for downtown Brooklyn.

| Jun 30, 2014

Research finds continued growth of design-build throughout United States

New research findings indicate that for the first time more than half of projects above $10 million are being completed through design-build project delivery. 

| Jun 30, 2014

Narrow San Francisco lots to be developed into micro-units

As a solution to San Francisco’s density and low housing supply compared to demand, local firms Build Inc. and Macy Architecture each are to build micro-unit housing in a small parcel of land in Hayes Valley.

| Jun 30, 2014

Harvard releases the State of the Nation’s Housing 2014

Although the housing industry saw notable increases in construction, home prices, and sales in 2013, household growth has yet to fully recover from the effects of the recession, according to a new Harvard University report. 

| Jun 30, 2014

OMA's The Interlace honored as one of the world's most 'community-friendly' high-rises

The 1,040-unit apartment complex in Singapore has won the inaugural Urban Habitat award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which highlights projects that demonstrate a positive contribution to the surrounding environment.

| Jun 30, 2014

Gen X, not Baby Boomers, spending the most money on homes [infographic]

It turns out that Generation X, who have the highest incomes of the three generations surveyed, are paying the highest home payments and tend to have the largest households. 

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category


MFPRO+ News

World’s largest 3D printer could create entire neighborhoods

The University of Maine recently unveiled the world’s largest 3D printer said to be able to create entire neighborhoods. The machine is four times larger than a preceding model that was first tested in 2019. The older model was used to create a 600 sf single-family home made of recyclable wood fiber and bio-resin materials.



halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021