Work Archives - SHAKE

shake.ac

Shed roof / shed dormer forms seen from the inside

Shed roof / shed dormer forms seen from the inside of our most recent project in Charlestown during our home stretch occupancy push. Happy to have fought for (and rightfully won) the right to have these dormers! Again, we’ll have more words for another day as to why our design - and shed dormers in general - are in keeping with history and specifically the history of New England Colonial architectural practices. But even if that weren’t the case, we’d continue to advocate for compact, efficient, practical solutions to reuse, expand, and yes, re-imagine Boston’s existing (and limited) housing stock.
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A reserved palette down low with plenty of party a

A reserved palette down low with plenty of party above in the powder room of our South End townhouse project from 2022.
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The cool gray concrete bucket sink by @concretti_designs with brushed brass @kohler Purist faucet provide the perfect counterpoint to the Hockney Wallpaper by @miltonandking .
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Architecture : Construction : Interior Design by @shake.ac
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

New job listing for Intermediate Architect/Designe

New job listing for Intermediate Architect/Designer (3-8 yrs) is up on the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) job board.
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Please reach out or pass along to anyone who you think might be interested.
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We are excited to add to our team and think this is a unique opportunity for someone to step into and grow through an exciting role!
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Site visit to an incredible little pocket of VT…

Site visit to an incredible little pocket of VT….

Primary bathroom on the top level of a 4-story tow

Primary bathroom on the top level of a 4-story townhouse in the South End of Boston.
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Part of a “partial gut” completed by SHAKE in the fall of 2022 that felt anything but partial at the time, and ultimately touched every square inch of the home.
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The building was built in 2000 as part of a larger development of townhomes. Block wall construction with masonry veneer, steel studs, and hollow precast, reinforced concrete slabs for all floors made many aspects of the project challenging, certainly including the reconfiguration of this bathroom. Given the bathroom’s previous layout as a series of disjointed little spaces that entirely snuffed out views and natural light, we’re happy with where this ended up.
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Architecture : Construction : Interior Design by @shake.ac
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
Drawings & progress photos by @shake.ac
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

As with the 2nd floor of last year’s South End t

As with the 2nd floor of last year’s South End townhouse project, our intervention on the 3rd floor was fairly simple (beyond new flooring and windows): a reconfiguration and consolidation of the closets unlocks the layout of the bathroom while improving the functionality of the bedrooms as well.
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Architecture : Interior Design : Construction by @shake.ac
Tile and stonework by @Newengland.tile
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

The hard-working walk-in pantry at our Green St. p

The hard-working walk-in pantry at our Green St. project all dressed up for cocktail hour... At least it’s not Monday folks!
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Architecture : Interior Design : Construction by @shake.ac
Cabinets and stone fabricated by @metcabinet and finished on site by @favoretohome
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Another important staircase for us, this one in a

Another important staircase for us, this one in a different Charlestown project that wrapped at the beginning of ‘23 and we are so excited to have captured by @sabrinacolequin
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This project was ambitious in its scale and scope, but while pretty close, it was not a clean, “full gut.” Certainly this main staircase was such an important feature that we preserved and incorporated. It deserved as much, and of course made good practical sense within the overall project.
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After relocating the sketchy basement stair that had been tucked beneath it, we went about designing and building a storage solution for this family of 6 that was tied into the dimensions and textures of the adjacent reconfigured spaces.
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Architecture : Interior Design : Construction by @shake.ac
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

It’s surreal to see this first finished image of

It’s surreal to see this first finished image of our Charlestown townhouse project that got started in pre-design a little over 4 years ago before the pandemic hit. To say this project was a challenge is an understatement but we could not have drawn up a better opportunity to learn and grow. We have to thank our clients who put such trust in us to entirely re-imagine their home.
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This image, captured by @sabrinacolequinn, is fitting to share first as it shows the most critical run of new stairs, passing through what was a window opening on the rear masonry wall of the original townhouse (that same original window is called out in latter construction photos). This stair location effectively became the heart of the home, stitching the front 3-story volume to the new rear addition, angling and craning to allow the project’s overall form to fit into its busy urban context, and pulling light into the center of an elongated floor plan.
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We look forward to sharing more about this project and our trade partners who helped us pull this off, but for now we need to call out one of the many talented outfits we have the privilege of working with, our friends @bluebarnbuilds who executed all the custom steel work throughout the project (including the stair and railings).
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Architecture + Construction by @shake.ac
Interiors by Gina Newfield
Styling by @corinnekdipietro
Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

A series of fairly understated changes to the seco

A series of fairly understated changes to the second floor help impart a new sense of character for this grand, double-parlor living space.
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First, along with new windows throughout the entire home, a large new box-bay window replaces three double-hung units from before. Next, playing off of this new central feature window, the wall to the left of the bay is built-out to mirror the volume of the fireplace, and then punched in as a home for TV/media. The volume is decidedly of the same language as the rest of the walls, with crown and baseboard wrapping in front, all while hiding a previously pronounced plumbing chase. Lastly, along with new wide plank, pale gray oak flooring, an office is drenched in a deep blue color that is mirrored in the media recess.
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Photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Who wants a 🥪? • Original timber frame gettin

Who wants a 🥪?
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Original timber frame getting some LVL reinforcement to ensure a safe and sound structure while facilitating an entirely new plan layout (including a new, compliant stair from basement up to third floor).
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southie #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Affectionately referred to as "The Donut" - a peri

Affectionately referred to as "The Donut" - a perimeter soffit mediates between the various areas, functions, and ceiling heights of the first floor at our South End townhouse project. "The donut" houses needed mechanical and plumbing runs while allowing for added height centered on the island and range wall, with the refrigerator/freezer and pantry cabinets anchoring either end. A slatted screen partition opposite the range wall defines the zone of circulation from foyer past powder room to the stair - all while maintaining an intentional amount of visual connection.
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Drawings and process/demo shots by SHAKE; Proper photography by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

It remains a bit surreal to see our work captured

It remains a bit surreal to see our work captured by @sabrinacolequinn let alone featured in the @bostonglobemag ! That said, as a company committed to not just the design of a project but also its construction, we’d like to start sharing more on this one by stepping back and looking at the existing building we were dealt.
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We are used to taking apart and rebuilding homes that are sometimes over a couple centuries old, but this one was built closer to a couple decades ago. It featured an uninsulated slab-on-grade with another 3 levels above, all cast out of concrete. The exterior masonry wall is two-part, with an inner steel-reinforced block wall actually being load-bearing.
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While the scope of this intervention was relatively modest compared to some of our other projects (with the staircase, the general organization of spaces, and even a lot of plaster remaining in place), there were constant hurdles that this relatively new building presented throughout the process.
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Thrilled to wake up and see our South End townhous

Thrilled to wake up and see our South End townhouse project featured in the @bostonglobemag ! We’ll share more images and credit soon to all that made this one possible but just want to say now that we couldn’t be luckier to work with our clients on these projects. They put a lot of trust in us and it’s a privilege to be able to partner with them, as was certainly the case here.
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We also want to say thanks as always to @sabrinacolequinn for the photography and to @stylecarrot for the article.
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Lots of exciting work going on…. Looking to grow

Lots of exciting work going on…. Looking to grow our team with people who want to be part of it with us! Please share or get in touch if you’d like to hear more. Cheers!
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Hi 👋. Tim and Lucas here. • We recently were

Hi 👋. Tim and Lucas here.
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We recently were honored to take part in an event that we wanted to share when we realized that we had not really introduced ourselves here, at least not for far too many years now...
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One of us (Tim) is an architect and the other (Lucas) is a builder. It was circa 94’ when we met, with Lucas being two years ahead at the Roxbury Latin School and one of Tim’s older brothers’ best friends. Throughout the years we’ve shared many a season together across multiple sports teams, been a part of each other’s family trips and traditions as we’ve “grown up” and built families of our own. Needless to say, we’d be brothers even if we hadn’t started a company together.
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At SHAKE, we have built a small but fantastic team of frame-to-finish builders, architects and designers. We work with incredibly talented subcontractors across various trades and sub-specialties but take pride in being a thoroughly “belt-on” design/build company for the handful of projects we execute each year.
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We were honored to be asked back to our alma mater, Roxbury Latin, to speak to the school, spend time in classes, and set up an exhibit of our work alongside that of our friends (and former RobertsonDesignBuild/SHAKE team members) Zach and Kevin of @cannonhillwoodworking .
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The word “honor” doesn’t do it justice, but that’s just what it was to be back in one of THE spots that taught us the meaning of hard work.
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It meant so much to be able to go to bat for the trades, construction, and design as professions worthy of anyone’s consideration. We feel there is honor in pursuing something that you can keep your head down on, take joy and pride in, and share with others while solving a problem or two.
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #southboston #southend #charlestown #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

@vincent_van_beau getting the shed dormers at Conc

@vincent_van_beau getting the shed dormers at Concord St. buttoned up ahead of this cold front…
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #southboston #southend #charlestown #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Excited to get this one started in South Boston! L

Excited to get this one started in South Boston! Let’s hope our finished product can do justice to the most recent iteration featuring linoleum, vinyl, thorough wall-to-wall carpet, orig. stationary bikes and the occasional hallway toilet.
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Lots of magic to live up to!
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #southboston #southend #charlestown #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

The living room at our recent South End townhouse

The living room at our recent South End townhouse project: calm, comfortable, and drenched in natural light.
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More to come on this project soon!
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📷 by @sabrinacolequinn
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #southend #charlestown #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

Really proud of our team (both in-house at SHAKE a

Really proud of our team (both in-house at SHAKE as well as our trade partners) as we push toward the finish line at our Green St. townhouse. Floors 2 and 3 are pretty much wrapped and we’re looking to get our incredible clients moving in next week as we finish the 1st floor and basement in the coming days.
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It’s been an incredibly busy stretch for us on so many different fronts and projects. We couldn’t be more grateful for the people we are able to work with and for on such amazing projects.
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Happy MLK weekend… looking forward to some rest and recovery before getting back to it!
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#architecturaldesignbuild #residentialarchitecture #designbuild #architecture #construction #remodel #contractor #architect #boston #charlestown #southend #beaconhill #somerville #finehomebuilding #residentialarchitecture #customhomes #oldmeetsmodern

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