160 Federal Street

The office renovations at 160 Federal Street, a Boston Art Deco landmark building that once housed the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, were inspired by the building’s history as a manufacturing facility, highlighting the shift from handmade to machine-made goods. Using hi-tech and low-tech as contrasting yet complimentary concepts, finishes and furniture were chosen to feature both ends of the spectrum. Sleek glass walls, thin linear lighting, and polished furniture contrast with more custom details, such as stitched wall covering and articulated millwork hardware. The programmatic layout was considered to bring natural light deep into the small, angular floorplates as well as to open up 360-degree views of the Boston skyline.