Entry perspective of Autodesk offices
Boston – Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston’s chief of economic development, John Barros, joined Jamestown and Autodesk (a firm specializing in 3D design software spanning industries from architecture, engineering, and construction to manufacturing, media, and entertainment) to welcome Autodesk to Boston. Autodesk will open an East Coast flagship in Boston, a move which signifies Boston’s preeminence and appeal as a business address for major companies. Autodesk’s announcement is also evidence of the continued growth of Boston’s Innovation District, which stretches from Fort Point Channel to the Marine Industrial Park, where Autodesk will plant its flag at Jamestown’s Innovation and Design Building.
“I’m excited to welcome Autodesk to the City of Boston,” said Mayor Walsh. “They have picked an excellent location to grow their business on the East Coast, and I have no doubt that they will benefit from the thriving economy on the waterfront. From supporting our storied maritime industry to inspiring the designers of the future, this area has a long history of nurturing creativity and innovation.”
Autodesk’s software is revered as industry-leading internationally and is widely used by Boston’s architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry locally. Recently, Autodesk software was utilized in the development of Boston’s 2024 Olympic Bid materials. Also, in an effort to foster lifelong interest in design, Autodesk provides its entire portfolio of software free of charge to all area students, teachers, mentors, and schools.
“Boston and the Innovation and Design Building are an ideal fit for Autodesk. We have worked diligently over the last two years to foster an ecosystem of designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, makers, and manufacturers, and Autodesk — which spans all of these categories — is a perfect addition to our IDB community,” said Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown.
The new facility will house teams involved in development of software tools for the AEC industry, including Autodesk’s flagship Revit and BIM 360 offerings. A key component of the facility will be a new Building Innovation Learning and Design Space — dubbed the BUILD Space — for prototyping and testing Autodesk’s products.
The BUILD Space will be equipped with digital fabrication equipment relevant to the building industry and will support exploration of cutting-edge digital technology and innovation through a world-class working laboratory and studio for research and development of fabrication, construction and design methods.
Autodesk’s Research, Development and BUILD Space is a compelling addition to the rich innovation community in the Seaport District and at IDB. The new BUILD Space will elevate Autodesk’s status as a participant in Boston’s burgeoning “maker movement” and will reinforce its leadership in the promotion of innovation at the intersection of manufacturing and technology. Autodesk is an active sponsor of MassChallenge, the world’s largest startup accelerator program which moved to IDB last year, and expects to bolster its partnership with MassChallenge’s entrepreneurs once it begins operations at IDB.
According to Autodesk vice president Jim Lynch, “Autodesk is very excited about opening this facility in Boston. We want to increase Autodesk’s visibility and connection to the Boston technology culture and engagement with the innovation ecosystem. Another goal is to have the community gain a better appreciation for the impact that Autodesk customers and technology have in this world. We want to expose the community to the things we do around the built environment.”
IDB bears a striking resemblance to Autodesk’s Pier 9 facility in San Francisco. During WWII, both sites served as major ports of embarkation, and today both are centers of industry and innovation.
The innovation economy is driving demand for workspaces that offer a vibrant mix of amenities, an urban atmosphere, and collaborative, flexible environments. Leading real estate investment and management firm Jamestown is creating spaces that cater to the needs of Boston’s growing entrepreneur, creative, and maker communities at the Innovation and Design Building through an ambitious redevelopment plan that includes over $100 million in upgrades to the nearly 100-year-old, city-owned structure. IDB is a 1.4 million sf mixed-use complex featuring expansive floor plates, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the building with natural light. Overlooking the harbor and the Boston skyline, IDB’s open footprint and impressive size allow tenants to design collaborative spaces in which their businesses can thrive and grow in place.
