Boston Society for Architecture Selects NADAAA to Design New Home at 99 Chauncy Street in Downtown Boston

New space will serve as the BSA's headquarters and a first-of-its-kind civic hub for nonprofit collaboration, exhibitions, and public programming

BOSTON, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) today announced plans to relocate to a new headquarters at 99 Chauncy Street in Downtown Boston. Following a competitive process that included four finalist firms, the BSA has selected Boston-based architecture firm NADAAA to design the new space. The organization expects to move into the new location in early 2027.

The new headquarters will include staff offices and flexible space for public exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and community events, continuing the BSA's long-standing role as a hub for conversations about architecture and the built environment. The space will also support a new BSA-led initiative exploring innovative models to strengthen the nonprofit sector through shared resources, collaboration, and civic infrastructure. The move places the organization at the center of downtown Boston's civic and cultural activity, creating a new public-facing home for the region's design community.

"We're thrilled to establish the BSA's new home in a neighborhood that reflects the energy and diversity of Boston," said Danyson Tavares, Executive Director of the Boston Society for Architecture. "Our goal is to create a space that connects designers, nonprofits, and communities from across the city. We're excited to partner with NADAAA to shape a place that welcomes conversation, collaboration, and new ideas for Boston's future."

NADAAA, an internationally recognized Boston-based architecture firm known for its award-winning cultural, academic, and civic projects, was selected for both the strength of the design proposal and its clear understanding of the BSA's role as both a professional organization and a civic platform. The firm's concept presented an ambitious yet practical approach—one that could elevate the space while meeting the everyday needs of members, staff, and the public.

"NADAAA demonstrated a deep understanding of the civic potential of this space," said Calvin Boyd-Morlani, Senior Associate at PAYETTE, BSA Board of Directors member and New Space/Firm Selection committee member. "Their work designing schools of architecture shows how spaces for our profession can operate as public forums—places where the culture, craft, and ideas of architecture are visible and accessible to the broader community."

"We are honored to be selected as design partners for the new BSA space on Chauncy Street. As a voice for the profession, the BSA headquarters effectively serves as an embassy for the discipline: on the one hand communicating what architecture can do for the environments in which it is set, and on the other, how the profession can embody the capacity to listen to a wider audience. The BSA's public mission is central to our own commitment, and I am very much looking forward to developing ideas that explore the civic potential of the proposed space," said Nader Tehrani, Founding Principal of NADAAA.

The move to 99 Chauncy Street will allow the BSA to right-size its physical footprint while remaining in the center of downtown Boston. With its prominent corner presence, the space offers an opportunity to create a visible and welcoming hub where architects, designers, and the public can gather to explore ideas shaping the future of architecture and the built environment.

"The Mayor and I are thrilled to see the BSA establish its new home in the center of Downtown. We are working hard to make space for creative enterprises here and it's great to see the BSA commit to this neighborhood", said Joseph Henry, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "Like Downtown itself, the BSA is a space of convening, mix and dialogue and their new location will create more opportunities for the public to mix with designs, and civic leaders to collectively shape Boston's future."

For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org.

ABOUT THE BOSTON SOCIETY FOR ARCHITECTURE

The Boston Society for Architecture (BSA) is focused on improving the quality of life for Boston-area residents by championing innovation in the built environment, with particular emphasis on sustainability and social equity. We achieve this by connecting our diverse and passionate network of over 4,500 architects, firms and allied members through collaborative initiatives that create solutions towards a more equitable and sustainable future. We extend and deepen these efforts philanthropically through donations and hands-on work in our community. The BSA is one of the oldest and largest chapters of The American Institute of Architects (AIA). For more information about the BSA and the BSA Foundation, visit architects.org.

SOURCE Boston Society for Architecture