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Schrafft’s in the News: A workplace for Generation Z

The history Schrafft’s Candy Factory was a fixture in the Charlestown landscape and a wonderful local employer that sadly closed its doors in the late 1970s. The late Mr. Flatley bought the building and surrounding land and converted it into a first class office building in 1984. CBT along with The Flately Company has undertaken the second transformation of this incredible site.

We are working on master planning and campus activation with the introduction of new amenities. The most unique aspect of the project is a custom designed graphic wall covering consisting of over 200 original images of Schrafft’s and Flately memorabilia, photographs, plans and candy boxes. Each image is set in a 2D picture frame and laid out in a collage. The hope is that people will learn something new from the wall each time they look at it and remember the history of the building and feel a connection to the place. The candy concept is carried throughout the space in subtle ways. The soaring three story concrete columns are cuffed with black metal that actually serves as a structural remediation because we removed conical caps at two levels that used to support a loading dock. We chose to celebrate this metal and incorporate it into a fiber optic light installation. The shimmering strands are reminiscent of melting sugar. The curved shape of the lounge platform was developed from the theme of a deconstructed chocolate covered cherry, one of the Schrafft’s signature candies. Different materials in the space are glossy red and others a milk chocolate, caramel and butterscotch tones. The new lobby would not be complete without a gas fire place on an elevated platform, a cozy coffee bar (Froth) tucked into a column niche and a state of the art conference center. The project has morphed into a revamp of the common corridors, elevator lobbies and cabs, as well as the dining area (Fuel) and potentially the fitness center (Fit). All branded with new logos. The famous Schrafft’s pink neon sign on the iconic clock tower just underwent a face lift as well. The gigantic channel letters were replaced with identical replicas that now boast energy efficient LED lights. The lighting was carefully fitted into custom white tubing to look exactly that same as the pink neon (white during the day and sassy bubblegum pink at night).

See More Photos of Schrafft’s City Center

Crinkled Candy Wrapper Glass Curtain Wall

Lobby

Froth Coffee Bar

History Wall

Chocolate Covered Cherry Floor and Candy Word Wall Graphic Above

Fireplace and Raised Lounge

Melting Sugar Column Light Fixtures

Board Room

Small Group Conference

Communicating Stair and Common Corridors

Location: Charlestown, MA

Client: The Flately Company

Design Firm: CBT Architects

Design Team: Robin Adams, Rebecca Goldstein, Maren Reepmeyer, Jennifer Raicheck, Andrew Chipman, Michelle Oishi, Kevin Tracy, Stefan Vogelmann, and Haril Pandya

Completion Date: December 2016

Photography: Gregg Shupe

Concept: Confectionery Contemporary / Factory Industrial

Contractor: Stateside

Furniture: Peabody Office

Custom Lights: Custom Metalcraft