Founded in Sweden in 1965, Education First (EF) has a rich history of providing international education experiences to students worldwide, with over 612 locations in 114 countries. EF’s North American headquarters is a vibrant, multi-building campus that includes student residences, classrooms, corporate offices, and The Hult School of Business. AKF’s focus throughout our partnership with EF has been to solve technical challenges and design with skill to enable EF to continue providing exceptional, immersive educational experiences to those with a passion for cultural learning. Together, EF and the consulting team create spaces that open up a world of possibilities.
Through our partnership with EF, AKF has had the opportunity to watch the Cambridge campus grow and transform with the design of their new, 301,044 SF student residence building. The new building, a central hub for all students on the EF campus, includes 500 beds and key amenity spaces, such as on-floor laundry, student services spaces, dining facilities, and a 24-hour student kitchen. The highlight of the building is a 12,000 SF fitness center that houses a 2-story rock and bouldering wall. Students can also take a break from their studies on one of the rooftop terraces and take in the surrounding views of Boston and Cambridge. The new residential building is a stunning reminder of EF’s commitment to their North American operations.
The Code Consulting team performed architectural plan review and life safety services for the new building. The mixed-use nature of the building created the challenge of satisfying code requirements for the various building classifications presented by the facility’s unique programming. Classifications include residential, commercial, food service, and high-rise. AKF’s expertise and long-standing relationship with Education First allowed for clear communication that led to creative and viable solutions.
Technical Statistics
