2015 has been an incredible year for
American Field and the American-made movement. We owe much of this success to the
cities and people who have welcomed us over the last few months. This includes
the buildings we’ve called home.
Last year, American Field
took over the Innovation
and Design Building (IDB) in Boston’s
Innovation District—a 1.4 million square foot, acre-long, innovative industrial building of
re-imagined work environments for various industries. After a great event, we decided to return in 2015.
The IDB revolution began in 2013 when our sponsor, Jamestown L.P., purchased the building—then, an underutilized, former
Army Base and Naval Annex. They had a vision—based on
the immense potential of the building and surrounding community. This sparked a
$100+-million-dollar capital investment in amenities, neighborhood programming,
and enhancements to the building.
Today, the Innovation Design Building is home to an ecosystem of
designers, researchers, entrepreneurs, makers, and manufacturers working alongside
Boston's marine industries, including ship repair and seafood processing.
From all ‘collars’ of work: traditional
manufacturing next to hi-tech jobs—IDB fosters Boston-based jobs at all levels
and skill sets. The building is a breeding ground for startups, and home
to the internationally renowned Mass
Challenge, a global organization helping entrepreneurs and connecting
them with financing and resources to kick start their businesses.
In addition, the IDB boasts New England's leading design center where international designers and decorators live alongside
cutting edge design firms. Formed in 1985, the Boston Design Center is making connections
between the showroom industry and on-site manufacturing, as well as sourcing
handmade products from the building's Makers Guild collaborative, creating an integrated ecosystem for the design
industry.
When asked about hosting American
Field, Jamestown President Michael Phillips has said, “[American Field] raises
awareness about the variety of goods that are being made in urban manufacturing
centers across America. [The event is] a perfect
complement to the current mix of tenants at IDB, which includes many
influential contributors to Boston’s thriving maker community.”
We’d like to extend a special ‘thank you’ to Jamestown L.P. for their unwavering support of our mission.
