3/26/2025

Utile Wins the Coveted Harleston Parker Medal for the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation

A moment from our tour of the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library with Harleston Parker Medal jury members and BSA staff, where we shared insights into the design and community impact of this award-winning project. Photo by Jose Cotto.

We are thrilled to announce that the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library Renovation has been awarded the prestigious Harleston Parker Medal by the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA), recognizing it as “the most beautiful piece of architecture” built in Boston in the past 10 years.

Located in Nubian Square, the heart of Boston’s historic Black community, the renovation of the original 1978 Brutalist structure—designed by Kallmann and McKinnell—transformed the library into a vibrant, welcoming community space. The 27,000-square-foot project features a revitalized community room, a new entrance and plaza with expansive windows, a technology teaching lab, a nutrition lab with a full kitchen, and a dedicated African American collection.

The BSA jury noted that the project is “transformative” and “a good model for how to adapt and modernize Boston’s Brutalist architecture.” The jury praised the project’s strong connection to the community, evident in the programming and thoughtful design.

We are incredibly proud of this recognition and grateful to the City of Boston Public Facilities Department and the Boston Public Library for their partnership and vision.

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of so many—our sincere appreciation goes to the following individuals and organizations who contributed to the success of this project:

Public Facilities Department
Carleton Jones, Executive Director
Evan Brinkman, Assistant Director, Design
Maureen Anderson, Senior Project Manager (retired)
Jim McGaffigan, Senior Project Manager (retired)

Boston Public Library
David Leonard, President
Michael Colford, Director of Library Services
Eamon Shelton, Director of Operations
Priscilla Foley, Director of Neighborhood Services
Alison Ford, Manager of Major Projects and Special Operations

CTA Construction Managers
Jeff Hazelwood, Principal

Structural Engineer: RSE Associates 

Structural Engineer: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

Landscape Architecture: Richard Burck Associates

Civil Engineer: Samiotes Consultants, Inc. 

Lighting Design: Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting

Acoustical Engineering: Acentech 

Code Consultant: Building, Fire & Access, Inc. 

Specifications: Kalin Associates

Hazardous Materials Consultant: Smith & Wessel Associates, Inc.