Cable Mills – Modern Mill & River House

2021 BSA General Housing Award Recipient!

Offshoots has long been an ongoing contributing designer on the Cable Mills Historic Site project in Wiliamstown, Massachusetts. Overlooking the Green River, the former Water Street Mill renovation was redesigned by Finegold Alexander Architects to become a residential complex. Offshoots developed a native planting plan, restoration planting and phytoremediation installation to contribute an inviting and clean landscape response to help showcase the former mill site.

The Cable Mills site has expanded upon the housing opportunities with a modern intervention by Merge Architects: The first of which is the Modern Mill, a six unit multi-family residential development along the river’s edge. Offshoots utilized materials from the building to provide a pedestrian entry sequence as well as an “Outdoor Living Room” that can be used by all residents of the Cable Mills complex. The Outdoor Living Room provides a grilling amenity, gas fire pit and a variety of seating opportunities. The space connects to the public river walk, and incorporates plantings native to the East Coast and Appalachian Mountains, creating an insertion to improve the local ecology.

Additionally, Merge Architects designed the first of many River Houses adjacent to the Modern Mill and public river walk. The same planting palette from the Modern Mill was utilized around the River House with emphasis on providing family opportunities around building and preserving views from the indoor living space to the natural river viewsheds.