The Quad

Short for “Quadrangle,” Quad is a public square at the center of a college campus--a place of vibrancy, playfulness, and connectivity. In our increasingly dense urban habitats, city dwellers seek to discover similar environments in the places they live, work, and play.

The Quad is designed by Stantec’s WHAT’S IN team and fabricated and assembled by Jobsite Steel Manufacturing, the New England Regional Council of Carpenters and East Coast Interiors.

WHAT’S IN was established in 2012 by a group of young architects who were challenged by the rising housing costs in Boston. They set a goal to find urban housing solutions that are more accessible to the greater work force. Over the course of 6 years the research group has gathered data on housing preferences, designed affordable housing prototypes, studied cost saving solutions, and cultivated collaborations with other groups. They’ve shared their research and ideas in innovative ways for all of their six years.

This year WHAT’S IN explored methods of achieving density and affordability through advances in technology, sustainability, policy, and compact design. They found solutions through collaborations and by prototyping algorithmic platforms that streamline the design and construction processes and allow for the mass production of  urban compact modular housing.

Partners