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Boston University’s planned 19-story tower at 645-665 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston’s Kenmore Square area will resemble a stack of books, according to the school.
That’s no coincidence: The tower is set to host the university’s data sciences center, including the mathematics, computer science, and statistics departments.
The building—which Toronto-based KPMB Architects is designing—will also be the tallest on BU’s campus and will replace a surface parking lot. A basement, a four-story podium, 13 floors on top of that, and then a top floor (like the basement) for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing apparatuses will comprise the tower.
“They asked us for something—they used the word ‘iconic,’” Marianne McKenna, a KPMB Architects founding partner, said through the school.
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It will be open to the public in addition to hosting classroom, research, and administrative space. Construction could take up to 28 months once it starts.