Kendrick Place is a privately-developed student housing and residential project
with retail on the ground floor, providing 104 beds. The site is at the northernmost
end of downtown Amherst, and marks the boundary between the city’s urban
commercial storefront district and the University of Massachusetts campus. Holst
designed Kendrick to respond to its Gateway site, and to provide a link between the
university and downtown.
With respect to Amherst’s traditional material palette, Kendrick features red brick
and cedar to fit in contextually with the existing buildings. The brick façade is
broken down into smaller bays to reflect the city’s smaller building modules. The
triangular-shaped site inspired the building’s acute triangular corners, reminiscent
of New York’s Flatiron Building.
The brick facades feature small punched openings, while the building’s corners
provide glassy lanterns to convey a lighter framework language. Each corner looks
down upon intersections and offers incredible views. One of the lanterns turns and
is opened up to an onsite courtyard where students can gather. Directly across from
the Emily Dickinson Museum and grounds, the units at that corner are turned to
maximize the views.
Sustainable features include a super-insulated envelope, sophisticated mechanical
system, and a heat recovery ventilator. Kendrick is designed to meet LEED Platinum
certification.
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