Founded by visionaries Nik Middleton and Brian O’Connor, CUBE 3 Architecture has earned national acclaim as a leading design firm with a rich portfolio of master planning, architectural, interiors and design projects spanning two decades. Headquartered in North Andover, Mass., with four additional offices strategically located in Boston, Miami, Princeton, and San Diego, CUBE 3 Architecture brings a wealth of creative expertise to the table.

Notably, over the past 3 years, CUBE 3 has actively sponsored emerging TA2 talents, including young drivers like Evan Slater and Australian TA2 champion Nathan Herne.

“As we celebrate our 21st year, we find ourselves perfectly poised to take on the role of the Trans Am TA2 Series title sponsor,” commented Nik Middleton. “We eagerly anticipate the accelerated growth of our firm and the Trans Am Series, hand in hand.”

“We are very pleased to welcome CUBE 3 as the new title sponsor of the TA2 Series,” echoed Trans Am President John Clagett. “The TA2 class has seen monumental growth since its inception in 2011, with its intense competition attracting racers from around the globe. It has become both a destination series for world-class drivers and a proving ground for the future stars of motorsports, and we are elated that CUBE 3 Architecture wants to be a part of it.”

The CUBE 3 Architecture TA2 Series season kicks off its exciting journey on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at the iconic Sebring International Raceway, with Bill Warner presiding as the Grand Marshal over the race on Saturday, February 24.

About CUBE 3 Architecture: Established in 2003, CUBE 3 has earned a nationwide reputation as an industry leader in design and innovation. The firm is renowned for its tailored solutions to a diverse array of architectural, interior design, and planning challenges. With expertise spanning across sectors such as residential, hospitality, student housing, commercial, and mixed-use projects, CUBE 3 consistently delivers visionary design. For more information, please visit www.cube3.com.

About the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli: The Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli is the longest-running professional road racing series in North America. The Trans Am Series was founded in 1966 for racing factory pony cars on iconic road courses. More than 55 years after the series’ launch, Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers continue to be sold today, with Trans Am racing credited as playing a major role in their success and longevity. With five diverse and competitive classes of racecars and both National and Western Championships, Trans Am offers something for every fan and every competitor. The series will host 17 events nationwide in 2024. For more information, visit GoTransAm.com.

Nik Middleton, RIBA and Brian O’Connor, AIA, the founding Partners of CUBE 3 Architecture, are excited to announce that Nico Flannery-Pitcher, IIDA, NCIDQ, EDAC, has joined the firm as Principal and Director of Interiors. Nico joins the firm with more than 20 years in the business including the last nine as Design Principal at Lavallee Brensinger Architects in Boston.

Nico, who was educated in the Boston area, has a stellar reputation in the industry, across business sectors, including healthcare and wellness. She was educated at the University of Massachusetts, University of Sussex, and Suffolk University, all of which informed her areas of expertise: strong communication skills and an interest in how design can better impact the human experience. Furthermore, Nico is one of only 36 people in the state of Massachusetts with the Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC) credential.

“Having Nico on our team will both nurture and support the continued growth of the firm,” remarked CUBE 3 Partner/CEO Nik Middleton. “She has a stellar reputation in the industry and across business sectors, including healthcare and wellness. Her forward-thinking approach to design perfectly aligns with our vision for the future, and we look forward to sharing her talent with our clients and affirming her as a leader of our team.”

When asked about her future at CUBE 3, Flannery-Pitcher remarked, “I look forward to joining a group of people with a growth mindset who take a creative and collaborative approach to projects. It will be my pleasure to lead and be a part of such a talented team, knowing our collective work will be focused on connecting with clients, taking on their project aspirations, and seeing them through to reality.”

In addition to volunteer work with IIDA, Nico served as a former President of the New England Chapter, currently holds a seat as co-chair of their LEAD program for mid-career designers, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Women In Healthcare (WIH) New England Chapter. Outside of work, Nico finds inspiration in nature and the visual arts and has dabbled in mediums that include glassblowing and stained glass.

ABOUT CUBE 3
Established in 2003, CUBE 3, with office locations in North Andover, Boston, Miami, Princeton, and San Diego, is well-known nationally as a design industry and innovation leader—providing thoughtful, individualized solutions for a wide range of architectural, interior design and planning challenges. The firm, whose work can be seen in over 35 states across the United States offers expertise in architecture, interior design, and planning services across a range of sectors, including multifamily residential, student housing, corporate office space, hospitality, healthcare, fitness & sports, and retail.

From our offices in North Andover and Boston, MA, Miami, FL, Princeton, NJ, and San Diego CA, our team has been designing coveted spaces, identifying the unique challenges and requirements of each individual client, and ensuring that each individual space is developed and designed to be modern, functional, cost-effective, and timeless. Over the course of two decades our team has brought innovative architecture and inspiring environments to some of the most successful companies, universities, healthcare organizations, and multifamily properties across the country.

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but we say you never get a second chance to blow their minds. For 20 years our team has been transforming the built environment with big, bold ideas and small, intimate spaces—custom designed to project an exciting architecture aesthetic.

20 Years, 4 offices, 145 employees, thousands of incredible projects, and at least 15 takes to get this just right.

Happy anniversary to #CUBE3 …

Anthony DiFelice Profile

Qualifications/Accreditations:  Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Years in the Profession:  15

Q: What attracted you to join the CUBE 3 team?
A: I was a student at Wentworth Institute of Technology and applied everywhere I could for an internship. CUBE 3 was the closest in location to my childhood home and it just happened to work out, I think they were just looking for someone who did not go to Roger Williams. Ever since, we have always had an intern from Wentworth in the office, maybe it correlates? We will leave that up for interpretation CUBE 3 has a long built-up culture by the employees from when it was established that continues through to today which makes it a great place.

Q: What is your role at CUBE 3?
A: By title I am a Senior Project Manager. I oversea multiple projects at different stages of the project, from initial conception all the way through construction completion. I can contribute many roles on each project, as project executive dealing with staffing and financial to project manager leading client, consultant and internal C3 team to production helping the project teams in many ways, an architect must be well rounded. I enjoy taking on mentoring and developing junior staff, the same way I was able to grow and develop from my mentors and opportunities through my entire career at CUBE 3. With my 15 years in the company, I have been a go to for past projects and will always share past experiences with others.

Q:How long have you been at CUBE 3?
A: Entire career. We may have just reached double digits when I started as an intern, it has really been amazing to see where we were then and where we have gone through today. Great memories, friendships and projects that have positively impacted so many locations.

Q: What’s a lesson you have learned that has most benefitted you in your career?
A: You can always keep learning and use your resources. Everyone contributes in different ways, we need each other to succeed.

Q: What inspires you?
A: Problem solving the next challenge. My family, always being there for one another.

Q: How did you get here? What were you doing before, and what made you decide to become an architect?
A: I grew up playing with Legos and admired my grandfather who was a structural engineer and seeing his blue prints of bridges he designed. I worked maintenance at a corporate outing center and summer day camp as my first job. Gifted with an artistic hand, I took many art classes and architecture drafting in high school.

Q: What area(s) do you specialize in?
A: I have spent most of my career in multifamily residential sector, a range of market rate rental, condominiums, student housing and age restricted senior living. I have a detailed mindset, so I am always thinking about how each component of building gets put together.

Q: What was your first project?
A: Residence at Rivers Edge Medford, MA. One of the first multifamily residential post tensioned concrete podium type III construction type projects in New England.

Q: What is your favorite C3 project?
A: This one is a 3-way tie. Elliot at Rivers Edge Manchester, NH, amazing medical facility and a great team worked together to complete it. Hanover CambridgePark Cambridge, MA, one of my first few projects I was able to lead and has really changed the entire Alewife area of Cambridge. The Mark at DeNormandie Wharf East Boston, MA, 5.5 years conception to completion an urban infill waterfront site mixed use with connects to the harbor walk.

Q: What is your favorite C3 memory(s)?
A: (The good, the bad, and the ugly?) There has been so many over 15 years hard to choose. The many years of playing Volleyball and Softball as part of a team have had many fun days and nights.

Q: What is a skill you would like to learn and why?
A: How to play guitar, music brings people together

Q: Favorite quote?
A: “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever” ~Walt Disney

Q: What is something you are most proud of?
A: Being a dad. I get to watch my children grow and guide them through their own life.

Q: Can you tell us a little about a personal hobbies or activities you are working on or passionate about? Any other personal accomplishments you would like to mention?
A: I am an avid Boston sports fan, I am either at the game or watching the game, I would say I am dedicated to the major sports but also follow a lot of the others sports. Creating family memories with my amazing wife Colleen, daughter Adelaide (5 years old) and son Everett (3 years old), we are always on some sort of an adventure. If we are not up in the white mountains of NH all times of the year we are at Disneyworld being a kid at heart.

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Surgery, even as an outpatient procedure, can be a complicated, overwhelming experience, and the last thing patients should have to worry about is arranging travel to a hospital far from their home. A 2018 Pew Research Center study showed that 18% of Americans live more than 10 miles away from the nearest hospital, and 42% of Americans live more than 5 miles away from one.

To expand access to care, hospitals and clinics have begun opening outpatient facilities such as ambulatory surgical centers. These healthcare facilities may not be located in a hospital, but they have the staff and equipment needed to serve patients’ specific needs, including outpatient surgical procedures.

CUBE 3 principal Matthew Bluette, a member of the design firm’s health division, said these centers speak to the trend of patients becoming more in tune with their healthcare needs and preference for receiving treatment outside of the hospital, closer to their home.

“There has been a tremendous shift with people who want to receive care in their own communities instead of going to the hospital or large medical center where people are being treated for more serious conditions,” Bluette said. “Visiting an outpatient facility provides a completely different feel to the healthcare experience.”

Bluette said the hospital setting isn’t ideal for the quick and high turnover of surgical procedures. This is why hospital systems often do a joint venture with commercial real estate professionals to assist in creating a business model that is more efficient and better suited to ambulatory surgery.

“Historically, hospitals have been heavy on real estate, which ties up capital, making new off-campus projects a challenge,” Bluette said, “Additionally, they make excellent tenants because they’re going to occupy a space for a long time. It’s advantageous for them to work with developers because then they have someone in the business of real estate and property management who understand the unique aspects related to managing an off-campus facility.”

Bluette outlined a trend of ambulatory surgery centers, or ASCs, created through a business arrangement between the developer, who is responsible for construction and maintenance, and the hospital, which brings patients into the ASC. One trend that hospitals have been exploring is taking part in a lease-back program, in which these facilities are owned by the hospital but leased out to a developer for property management. Alternatively, some hospitals have sold their buildings to developers and become tenants.

“Options such as these allow the hospitals to have more funding to allocate for patient care,” Bluette said.

He added that while hospitals of any size can partner with developers, community hospital systems in particular, with whom CUBE 3 typically works, may want to take advantage of these business arrangements, as they may not have the financial and management depth for off-campus facilities.

“Hospitals typically employ in-house staff, such as electricians, plumbers and HVAC technicians along with security personnel that already have a lot of responsibilities managing the hospital campus, making it difficult and expensive for this type of staff to manage off-site locations,” Bluette said.

He said the majority of surgical volume that health systems have been shifting out of the hospital and into an ASC are orthopedic procedures, from routine and hand surgery, to the most complex total joint replacements. This is because unlike emergency surgeries, they can be planned out in advance and require less clinical support space, which allows doctors to take on more patients and better manage their workloads.

“Orthopedic surgical procedures have been the biggest driver for these facilities because the procedures tend to be somewhat consistent and have set times with limited complications,” Bluette said. “The director of an ASC can use these timetables to figure out how much volume they can handle.”

He said that the volume drives the investment that will eventually be made and in right-sizing the program.

“Reimbursement for surgical procedures in an ASC setting is significantly less than at the hospital so the footprint needs to be small and efficient allowing for more volume,” he said. “This smaller and more efficient footprint also requires hospitals to identify which physicians are best suited to this setting.”

He added that while more surgeries are taking place in ASCs, hospitals are also looking into new ways to streamline their inpatient procedures, such as using embedded imaging modalities in the operating room. This technology can help with making medically complex procedures, such as heart valve replacement, less invasive.

Bluette said that healthcare development will likely continue in the direction of reducing physical footprints while at the same time expanding its services through telemedicine for well visits, kiosks and terminals to expedite the check-in and checkout processes and other features that reduce the need for physical space and promote efficiency.

“We’re hoping that the process of streamlining will continue, with Covid showing it can work on a grand scale,” Bluette said. “I firmly believe that as more healthcare providers implement successful projects, business-wise, other healthcare systems will need to get on board with the trend of moving high-turnover ambulatory surgical procedures out of the hospital campus and into a more efficient and cost-effective setting.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and CUBE 3. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com. 

Contact Elizabeth Reyn at elizabeth.reyn@bisnow.com