“Visual and performing arts can transform understanding and appreciation of the world in all its cultural diversity. The American Library Association affirms that visual and performing arts can be powerful components of library collections and services. The arts play a vital role in our ability to communicate a broad spectrum of ideas to all people. Developing an understanding and appreciation of visual and performing arts promotes artistic literacy. Libraries should offer opportunities for the community to experience art.”--Source: American Library Association: https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/arts

The BSA Cultural Facilities Network, in collaboration with NADAAA invite you to tour the Adams Street Branch of the Boston Public Library.

Located on busy Adams Street in Dorchester, the library is nestled into one of Boston’s diverse neighborhoods. The building is set at a focal point where the road bends, making its visual presence a marker for the community.

During the 60-minute tour and presentation, participants will take a behind-the-scenes look at the community’s influence on the building’s design and explore key sustainable details. This event will include a Q&A session at the end.

Alistair Lucks, Project Manager for the City of Boston, Public Facilities Department and Nikki Sakr, Director of Research and Communications at NADAAA will lead the tour. Nader Tehrani, Founding Principal of NADAAA will join the Q&A session via zoom. The discussion will be moderated by the co-chairs, Ioana Pieleanu and A. Scott Butler.

Alistair Lucks, AIA, MCPPO

Project Manager II for Studies, City of Boston, Public Facilities Department
Alistair Lucks holds a B.A. in Sociology from The Colorado College and a Masters of Architecture from Rice University. Alistair began his career working as a studio assistant to architectural sculptor Michio Ihara. After graduating from architecture school, he went on to work at several Boston area architecture firms. As a project manager for the City of Boston Public Facilities Department Alistair works every day to help plan for and design some of our City's most public facing buildings. A large part of his job involves encouraging the engagement of community members in the planning and design process. Alistair has been a BSA member since 2014 and has served as a guest critic at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Boston Architectural College. Alistair maintains an interest in energy efficient architecture and design and was a Certified Passive House Consultant from 2011-2014. Photo credit: Jodi Hilton.

Nikki Sakr, LEED AP, Director of Research and Communications, NADAAA

Nikki Sakr has sixteen years of design experience in Boston with roles ranging from project coordination, exhibit management, community engagement, and graphic design. She currently plays a key role in NADAAA’s research and communications efforts—from competitions and early project pursuits through concept planning. A graduate of Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design, she has worked on projects for such cultural and academic institutions as Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Boston Public Library, Rhode Island School of Design, and the Van Allen Institute. As the leader of NADAAA’s communications, she manages academic publications and lectures, as well as varying scales of exhibitions including recent installations at La Biennale di Venezia, University of Miami, and Georgia Tech. Nikki has also led the efforts of firm and project branding for the last nine years bridging graphics, installations, and planning work.

Nader Tehrani, Principal, NADAAA

For his contributions to architecture as an art, Nader Tehrani is the recipient of the 2020 Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, to which he was also elected as a member in 2021. Nader has also been named the 2022 Design Visionary by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Museum of Design and has recently been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Nader is founding principal of NADAAA, a practice dedicated to the advancement of design innovation. He is also a professor at and former Dean of The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of The Cooper Union in New York. His research focuses on the transformation of the building industry, innovative material applications, and the development of new means and methods of construction, especially through digital fabrication. Nader’s work has received many prestigious awards, including nineteen Progressive Architecture Awards. Prior to becoming Dean at the Cooper Union, he taught at RISD, Harvard GSD, Georgia Tech, and MIT. His work has been exhibited at MOMA, LA MOCA and ICA Boston. His work is also part of the permanent collection of the Canadian Center for Architecture and the Nasher Sculpture Center.