Case Study: The Little Building

This case study explores the successful preservation and restoration of The Little Building in Boston, Massachusetts, a project undertaken in collaboration with Elkus Manfredi Architects and Emerson College.

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The renovation employed advanced 3D laser scanning technology, which played a pivotal role in documenting the building's intricate architectural details and condition. This high-precision scanning allowed for the creation of a comprehensive BIM (Building Information Model), enabling the design team to develop an accurate, data-driven plan for restoring and reinforcing the structure.

By utilizing this cutting-edge technology, the project minimized the risk of unexpected complications during the renovation process, ensuring that the building’s historic integrity was preserved while meeting modern code requirements.

Beyond the technical aspects, the project had significant environmental benefits. A key focus of the restoration was the salvaging and repurposing of original building materials, including the façade and structural components. This approach reduced the need for new construction materials, resulting in lower embodied carbon emissions associated with the extraction, manufacturing, and transportation of new materials.

The lifecycle assessment of the project confirmed that the preservation efforts, including adaptive reuse of existing materials, significantly reduced the carbon footprint compared to demolition and new construction. The restoration not only preserved the architectural and cultural significance of The Little Building but also demonstrated the environmental advantages of sustainable preservation practices, establishing a model for future projects aimed at reducing waste and conserving resources.

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Scope of Work:

This decade long project successfully preserved the building's historical significance while creating a modern and eco-friendly urban campus environment. Extensive preconstruction planning and complex phasing was required to coordinate logistics on this busy urban site.

The project addressed the deterioration of the Little Building’s cast stone façade and corrosion of its steel structure. While demolition was considered, Emerson College opted for renovation, with Elkus Manfredi Architects designing and Suffolk managing construction.

The plan included restoring the façade and ornamental features, integrating structural reinforcement, updates to the 450-seat dining facility, modernizing safety and code compliance, and expanding student amenities, including new common rooms and social spaces. To improve financing, the project increased bed capacity from 750 to 1,044 by adding double-height glass cubes on the Tremont Street side and a concealed 13th floor behind the parapet, carefully designed to remain invisible from the exterior.

In 2010, Elkus Manfredi Architects partnered with Existing Conditions to 3D laser scan the building’s exterior façade and interior space and create a 3D BIM model to assess the façade and structural issues. The extensive renovation plans required careful analysis and repair, ultimately leading to demolishing four exterior walls, while preserving the columns and floor slabs.

In 2013, with renovations underway and students on break, the Existing Conditions team returned to the site to update the existing BIM model with additional data gathered from previously inaccessible areas, including the gymnasium and certain dorm rooms, to support the architect's interior renovation plans.

In 2014, Existing Conditions employed a hand-held scanner to capture the façade’s ornate details and create a 3D mesh model for a fabricator to replicate the deteriorating building elements with an engineered concrete-polymer.

In 2016, Existing Conditions returned to 3D laser scan the Tremont Street side and create elevations to add a 13th-floor behind the parapet on the roof, build new community rooms, and incorporate the necessary seismic bracing.

3D laser scanning captured precise building details and was used to generate a 3D BIM Model, for Elkus Manfredi Architects to accurately plan and execute of the renovation.

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The Challenge

One of the main challenges of The Little Building was its size and complexity. Built in the early 1900s, it had undergone many modifications over the years, changing from an office space to a mixed-use building, then to a dormitory, and finally to an academic space. This resulted in many layers of the building's structure and history that needed to be documented to properly renovate the building to the current scope of work.

The renovation plans increased the size of the Little Building from 238,955 to 275,900 square feet with the addition of a 13th floor located behind a 14-foot parapet. Additionally, the number of students the building can accommodate increased from 750 to 1,044 residential students.

The building's deteriorating façade required full replacement to address structural integrity and weather resistance issues. A key challenge was preserving the original ornate architectural details while upgrading to high-performance precast concrete.

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The Solution

Elkus Manfredi Architects collaborated with Existing Conditions on four mobilizations of 3D laser scanning, with the team returning multiple times as demolition progressed to gather comprehensive site data.

The data gathered was used to create a 3D BIM model of the building with high accuracy. From the model, façade damage and structural issues were detected, and renovations were planned in a digital environment.

A major component of the project scope included replacing the exterior façade with high performing architectural precast concrete. To preserve the façade, 3D laser scanning accurately captured the ornate details for replication.

Elkus Manfredi then collaborated with Autodesk’s Technology Center to test CNC machinery’s ability to use the models for fabrication. This led to the creation of foam molds and blocks of facade details, like the lion heads.

Once Elkus Manfredi was confident in their process, they were able to communicate directly with their fabricator in Canada, Béton Préfabriqué, to produce the replicated facade with accurate and true detail to the 1917 building. The company started with 3D printing and progressively advanced to producing full-scale foam models of the lion heads and other Neo-Gothic details.

After completing construction on The Little Building, Elkus Manfredi partnered with Lambert Sustainability, a Boston-based sustainability firm, to conduct an embodied carbon study. The study analyzed the amount of carbon saved and the material salvaged of various building materials, including the structure and facades on the lower levels. The study found that salvaged materials contained over 4,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This demonstrates the significant environmental impact that can be made through the preservation and reuse of building materials.

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How Was This Project Unique?

The renovation of The Little Building presented a unique challenge due to its scale, complexity, and phased execution over ten years.

Spanning over half a million square feet, the project required extensive 3D laser scanning and modeling to document intricate architectural details and structural conditions accurately.

This project demanded repeated site visits as demolition progressed and required access to previously inaccessible areas.

The integration of advanced 3D scanning, precise BIM modeling, and CNC fabrication technology enabled the accurate replication of historic Neo-Gothic elements.

The project’s success was driven by a highly coordinated effort between Existing Conditions, Elkus Manfredi Architects, and other key collaborators, ensuring both historical integrity and modern functionality.

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History of The Little Building

The Little Building, located at the corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets in Boston, Massachusetts, was originally constructed in 1917 and designed by Clarence Blackall, a prominent architect known for his work on Boston’s theaters. It was considered an architectural innovation of its time and was often referred to as the “City Under One Roof” due to its mixed-use design, which housed retail stores, offices, restaurants, and even a post office within its twelve-story structure.

Over the decades, the building became a key part of Boston’s architectural and commercial history. However, due to deterioration and evolving urban needs, Emerson College acquired the building in 1994 as part of its expansion into Boston’s Theater District. The college repurposed the structure into a residence hall and student facility, marking a significant transformation from its original commercial function.

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About the Client Elkus Manfredi Architects

Ross Cameron is a Vice President at Elkus Manfredi Architects, a full-service design firm based in Boston. Elkus Manfredi offers a range of services including architecture, master planning, urban design, historic preservation, space planning, programming, and experiential graphic design. As one of the largest firms in the city, Elkus Manfredi has a strong presence in the local community.

“The extensive data that Existing Conditions gathered allowed us to collaboratively create a highly accurate digital model of the Little Building façade circa 1917, which was no easy task given the complexity of the highly ornate neo-gothic architecture. The ability to communicate the model data directly to the fabricator enabled us to have complete control over the outcome of the replicated façade elements." -- Ross Cameron, Vice President of Elkus Manfredi Architects.

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Existing Conditions 3D Laser Scanning Services

Existing Conditions has been engaged as a key collaborator with architects specializing in the restoration and preservation of some of the most historically significant buildings in the United States. We deliver accurate existing conditions documentation for clients to make intelligent decisions, mitigate risk, and avoid costly mistakes.

Over the past 27 years, Existing Conditions has measured, documented, and modeled over 10,000 buildings across the United States, establishing ourselves as an industry leader in 3D laser scanning.

Architects trust us to deliver digital representations of the as-built environment with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency. Our dedicated Project Managers provide fast and accurate 3D laser scanning services and drone imagery services, and expert CAD and BIM technicians create custom, detailed deliverables, including point clouds, 2D CAD drawings, 3D BIM models, 3D mesh models, TruViews, and 3D virtual tours.

Our greatest reward remains delivering superior-quality scan-to-BIM work and knowing we played a vital role in our clients’ historical architecture and preservation projects.

Contact us today for a free project estimate.