Anderson Porter Design

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Anderson Porter Design We have 3 main areas of focus at APD: Cannabis Industry, Sustainable Housing, and Workplace design.

Together with our clients and consultants, APD aspires to create buildings & places that enhance the experience of their occupants, promote social interaction, and achieve high architectural goals that are cost effective, energy efficient, & sustainable. Together with our clients and consultants, we aspire to create buildings and places that enhance their occupants' experience, promote social interaction, and achieve high architectural goals, while remaining cost-effective, energy-efficient, and sustainable. From the challenges of today's energy and materials consumption to the lack of affordable housing to creating workspaces that inspire rather than limit, to helping to fight pain and diseases; we are socially responsible visionaries. Since 2014, our expertise has excelled within the cannabis industry. With a background in medical device manufacturing design, APD understands the importance of strict protocols, quality management systems, and current Good Manufacturing Practices(GMP) required in such facilities. We are a coalition of architects, designers, and planners implementing lean design solutions for controlled environment horticulture, food and drug manufacturing facilities, and retail dispensaries, working with clients nationally and internationally to build world-class facilities. From site planning to ribbon cutting, APD works with first-time entrepreneurs and leaders in the cannabis industry to design, engineer, and construct facilities that transform ideas into successful, profitable businesses. Our foundation and approach are entrenched in the principles first investigated by Walter Gropius and the Bauhaus to today's Lean Construction practices. We are grounded in the practical and that which is informed by innovation and the iterative process of investigation, critique, and evolution.

Designing housing in Cambridge means working within a landscape that is always changing. New zoning rules are creating m...
10/14/2026

Designing housing in Cambridge means working within a landscape that is always changing. New zoning rules are creating more opportunities for housing, while evolving energy codes continue to raise expectations for building performance.

APD has designed housing in Cambridge and throughout Greater Boston for more than 35 years. Because we have worked through decades of regulatory changes, we know how to adjust as the rules evolve and help clients understand what those changes mean for their sites.

If you’re evaluating a site for multifamily housing, we’d be glad to talk.

Choosing the right cultivation equipment is only part of the equation. Even a strong piece of equipment can underperform...
10/09/2026

Choosing the right cultivation equipment is only part of the equation. Even a strong piece of equipment can underperform if the facility around it was not designed to support it.

In his latest article for Cannabis Equipment News, Brian Anderson explains why equipment decisions should be evaluated as part of the facility as a whole, rather than as isolated purchases.

Read “Getting More from Cultivation Equipment Starts with Facility Design”:

Facility design determines real cultivation success.

Brian and Dario recently spent two days in Philadelphia for the first GreenTech North America conference.They had the ch...
10/07/2026

Brian and Dario recently spent two days in Philadelphia for the first GreenTech North America conference.

They had the chance to sit in on conversations about where controlled environment agriculture is headed and hear directly from people working throughout the industry. It was also a great opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces and meet some new ones.

We’re glad APD could be there for GreenTech’s first North American conference!

What started as an empty 28,000-square-foot shell has grown and changed alongside Laborie’s operations.APD began working...
10/02/2026

What started as an empty 28,000-square-foot shell has grown and changed alongside Laborie’s operations.

APD began working with Laborie in 2018. The original build-out created an ISO 7 cleanroom for manufacturing, along with the supporting spaces needed for employees, engineering, workshops and machine tooling.

Since then, we have continued to work with Laborie on additional phases, including compressed air systems and high-rack storage.

It has been rewarding to support the facility as Laborie’s needs have evolved over the years.

Design decisions are not always as simple as choosing the least expensive option.At APD, we use Choosing by Advantages t...
09/25/2026

Design decisions are not always as simple as choosing the least expensive option.

At APD, we use Choosing by Advantages to compare what each option offers before bringing cost into the decision. This helps the project team see whether the additional benefit of one option is worth the additional expense.

CBA does not make the decision for the team. It gives everyone a clearer way to understand why an option was selected, especially when the answer is not obvious.

Read more about how we use CBA:
https://www.andersonporter.com/blog/choose-by-advantage


Design decisions are not always as simple as choosing the least expensive option.At APD, we use Choosing by Advantages t...
09/22/2026

Design decisions are not always as simple as choosing the least expensive option.

At APD, we use Choosing by Advantages to compare what each option offers before bringing cost into the decision. This helps the project team see whether the additional benefit of one option is worth the additional expense.

CBA does not make the decision for the team. It gives everyone a clearer way to understand why an option was selected, especially when the answer is not obvious.

Read more about how we use CBA:
https://www.andersonporter.com/blog/choose-by-advantage

An equipment plan is an important first step in designing a dental practice, but it is not the same as an architectural ...
09/17/2026

An equipment plan is an important first step in designing a dental practice, but it is not the same as an architectural plan.

The equipment supplier establishes the operatories and shows where the major equipment could go. When that plan reaches the architect, the goal is not to start over. The architect looks at how the layout fits within the actual building and whether it will work as a complete practice. Code and accessibility requirements are also worked into the design at this stage.

Bringing the architect into the process early preserves the work that has already been done. It can also uncover problems before they become costly changes during construction.

The first image shows our waiting-room rendering. Next is the initial equipment plan, followed by our cutaway rendering of the full practice.

GreenTech is coming to North America for the first time, and Brian and Dario will be there!They’re heading to Philadelph...
09/15/2026

GreenTech is coming to North America for the first time, and Brian and Dario will be there!

They’re heading to Philadelphia next week to learn what others in horticulture technology are working on and catch up with people across the industry.

If you’ll be there September 23–24, reach out and say hello!

This year’s World Green Building Week theme is “Build It Ready.” For multifamily buildings, that means planning for ener...
09/08/2026

This year’s World Green Building Week theme is “Build It Ready.” For multifamily buildings, that means planning for energy requirements that do not exist yet.

No one can predict exactly what a future code cycle will require. What architects and developers can do is avoid making decisions today that leave a building difficult or expensive to update later. That might mean leaving room for building systems to change or making envelope decisions that reduce future energy demands.

For a multifamily building expected to serve residents for decades, that flexibility has real value. The goal is not to predict the future perfectly. It is to make sure the building is not trapped by decisions made during its original design.

Happy Labor Day from APD!Today, we’re celebrating all of the people who make our projects possible. Every project takes ...
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from APD!

Today, we’re celebrating all of the people who make our projects possible. Every project takes a lot of hard work, and we’re grateful for all of the people we get to work alongside to bring our designs to life.

We hope everyone has a great Labor Day!

Address

1972 Massachusetts Avenue 4th Floor
Cambridge, MA
02140

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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