The burnished copper colouring of 2 Harbor reflects a proud heritage of the marine industry. We talk to Handel Architects’ David Woshinsky about designing a new-generation beacon for life sciences research on the fast-changing South Boston waterfront.

2 Harbor is unmistakably contemporary but also very much of its place. How does your building respond to its context?

The project is located on the edge of Marine Industrial Park, right next to the Boston Seaport Innovation District. It’s an area of the city that was historically industrial. Today, shipbuilding, dry docks and the fishing industry coexist alongside knowledge-based and creative uses, like life sciences headquarters and the Boston Design Center. Our design not only references existing warehouses and materiality, but also leans into the dynamic movement of expressively folded metal.

The copper-toned finish of the main elevation was chosen to pick up the light on the building’s multifaceted fins, which are torqued to create a sense of movement and bring complexity and depth.