Jesse Thompson
Username
Jesse Thompson
Proposer First Name
Jesse
Proposer Email
jesse@kaplanthompson.com
Proposer Last Name
Thompson
Proposer Company/Organization
Kaplan Thompson Architects
Proposer Job Title
Principal

Boston 2023 Areas of Focus

Proposed Session Description
How do we produce the low-carbon housing we need at the pace we need? Our team was given the near impossible goal of designing, building, and occupying four dormitory buildings for Colby College in under one year. We not only pulled that goal off, we also designed and built beautiful, low energy consuming, low embodied energy dormitories using off-site modular construction. Consigli Construction, Kaplan Thompson Architects, KMDG Landscape Architects, KBS Homes and most of the subcontractors in central Maine came together for an unprecedented collaborative effort to reinvent project delivery and meet the urgent needs of Colby College to house their students.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
The project team and presenters are majority female identifying, from the design team to the construction management team. The structures are fully accessible, ensuring equity & inclusion for all occupants including students and faculty.
Learning Objectives
Employ best practices in modular construction in a multifamily building.
Acquire the knowledge to practice Design-Build effectively on fast track projects.
Describe appropriate integrated mechanical systems for dormitory applications.
Identify appropriate materials for construction of low-embodied energy multifamily structures.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Session Format
Interview or structured conversation among panelists
Presentation followed by facilitated discussion or breakout groups
Session Format Details
60-45 minutes of integrated team presentation of the project history and execution followed by 45-30 minutes of Q&A.
Recommended Length
90-minute session

Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2023

Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
The buildings are wicked beautiful...
Reviewer 1
Field, Keirstan
Reviewer 2
May, Nathaniel
Curator
May, Nathaniel
Proposal #
170
Session #
503
Committee Decision
Accepted

Presenters

Full Description
This session addresses Scalability directly. Typical University dormitory projects are four to five year timeline, capital intensive, slow moving projects. This project turns this practice on its head. We used modular construction, on-site precast foundations, an integrated design-build teams and low-embodied carbon materials in an integrated and holistic approach to housing people as quickly as possible while ensuring we met the highest standards of beauty, accessibility, energy consumption, and healthy materials. We all started design in September 2021, and moved students in in August 2022. The solutions we will present will show other teams how to implement these practices to meet the needs of both the planet and the people.