Shawmut, in partnership with Finegold Alexander Architects, completed Phase I of a multi-phased renovation to The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

Excerpt from Church Design

The project involved the interior repair and restoration of The Mother Church Original. The building is part of a campus that is an icon in the city of Boston, located on a prominent 14.5-acre site that includes a large pedestrian plaza, The Mother Church Original (TMCO) and The Mother Church Extension (TMCX), and a number of other buildings in the heart of the Back Bay neighborhood. It is the largest privately owned, yet publicly accessible space in Boston. 

Work on TMCO involved strategically inserting updated electrical and life safety systems into the existing building fabric to bring the structure up to code, while leaving the original interiors intact. Additional interior work included plaster repairs, restoration of damaged interior stonework and mosaic tile, and restoration of the interior decorative painting.

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The design team includes building envelope specialists Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), responsible for the building exterior, and Arup, providing the electrical and fire protection services. Key elements include the preservation of the building envelope, interior repairs to address water infiltration, and life safety/accessibility code upgrades. Construction is led by Shawmut Design and Construction.

Key [restoration] elements include the preservation of the building envelope, interior repairs to address water infiltration, and life safety/accessibility code upgrades.

Read more from Church Design’s article, “Boston Landmark Restored” here.

Photo Credit: Robert Benson Photography