Boston Perspective: Architectural Flare for Collectors
Morehouse MacDonald and Associates, Inc., was featured in the March 2000 issue of the highly coveted industry periodical Architectural Digest, for its work on the ‘Boston Tower Penthouse‘ project. Working in tandem with the Boston interior design firm Bierly-Drake Associates, the apartment design was conceived to showcase the owner’s collection of contemporary painting and sculpture.
Located in the Ritz-Carlton House Tower, the penthouse features commanding views to the adjacent Boston Public Garden and the city and Charles River beyond. “Our original idea was to treat the apartment as an art gallery,” states John MacDonald, in the six page feature. “We wanted the vocabulary to be strong enough to display the art but neutral enough to not overwhelm it.”
(The Hall space serves as art gallery in the apartment, with wall detailing that reads like architectural coining and modernized barrel vaulting to dramatize the importance of the space. Title image: courtesy of Architectural Digest, All rights reserved.)
Such an ambition is not necessarily an easy task. While it is a common approach to utilize a crisp modern architectural aesthetic for projects that display art, MMA, in this case, sought to infuse the project with a degree of historical pedigree as well, employing a barrel vault and horizontal reveals on the walls of the entry hall, thus giving the important gallery space a sense of gravitas. “Barrel vaulting is a nice way of letting the architecture define the procession,” says MacDonald in the Architectural Digest feature.
To view this project within our Work portfolio, visit this link.
Resources
Architecture: Morehouse MacDonald and Associates, Inc.
Interiors: Bierly-Drake Associates, Inc.
General Contractor: Hollett Building Corporation, Inc.
Elizabeth Cameron joined Morehouse MacDonald and Associates as an interior designer in 2017, to help us with interior design projects in the Lesser Antilles. The Oklahoma native moved to Boston in 2012 to pursue a degree in Architectural Studies with a minor in Visual Arts from Boston University which she received in January of 2016. She also studied European architectural history in Venice during her education at Boston University. Elizabeth earned her Masters of Arts degree in Interior Architecture at Suffolk University in 2018.
Anthony M. Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED AP, has been with MMA since 1999. In 2018 he was promoted to associate principal and in 2025 to principal and partner.
Kyle McCreight Carroll is a talented project designer who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College and received her Master of Architecture from Miami University.
Duncan Morton joined the MMA team as a Project Architect. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Bates College and a Master’s in Education from Boston College.
James Christopherson joined MMA in 2000 and brings diverse experiences in design and building construction expertise spanning more than 25 years. Among those are several years in the design of large-scale medical facilities, assisted care communities, and nursing homes. James has also practiced for several years as an independent architectural designer and visual communications consultant. He has designed private residences, condominiums, banks, libraries, and office buildings; additionally, he has produced major illustrations for many of the Boston areas’ most respected architecture firms.
John S. MacDonald, AIA, is principal and owner of Morehouse MacDonald and Associates, Inc. and has served in that capacity since 1988, directing the firm’s growth and management. John serves as Principal-in-Charge of each project and is responsible for setting overall design direction within the firm. His designs have appeared in numerous design and professional magazines such as Architectural Digest, Metropolitan Home, Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Boston Common, Cape Cod & Islands Home Magazine, Boston Magazine and Trends Magazine. In addition, John has appeared on the cable television channel HGTV discussing the firm’s architectural work and showcasing several key projects.
