New Regional Headquarters

This project began by reclaiming a vacant industrial property overlooking Lake Cochituate. An old building was demolished and the site cleared for development with new utilities and access ways from the town road. Work was done in coordination with the Natick Conservation Commission because of the site’s proximity to the lake and bordering wetlands.

The building is a precast concrete structure, with expansive use of glass to maximize natural light and views. The interior has offices and laboratories, both wet and dry, fitted with fume hoods, gas lines and heavy-duty mechanical systems. There is a specialized lab for controlled burns.

The entire building is designed to carry heavy loads, even the roof is structural concrete to accommodate the mechanical equipment that serves the laboratories and the building’s co-generation plant which supplies its own electricity and hot water.

Founded in 1967 by scientists and engineers from Stanford University, Exponent analyzes why materials, processes and systems fail. The firm has investigated the root causes of high-profile catastrophes including the Deepwater Horizon BP Gulf oil rig disaster in 2010 and the World Trade Center attack in 2001 among many others.