1330 Boylston Street | Fenway

This style was so ubiquitous for a while, there must have been some sort of Design Philosophy? behind it. Any ideas?
 
Are you talking about in the fifties or of today's revival?
 
More the original. Today's revival, I assume is just retro-fetishism.
 
The Bauhaus... the next forty years consisted of doing variations on this theme.

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Variations are never as interesting as the originals. :/
 
Methinks the ease of the Curtain Wall Tool ? in many software programs and standard specs for the curtain wall industry have a lot to do with it.

To be honest when most otherwise decent modern or contemporary buildings look terrible, it's because they have horrible windows. Think of every ugly building, picture it with better windows, and suddenly the beast appears more palatable.
 
Methinks the ease of the Curtain Wall Tool ? in many software programs and standard specs for the curtain wall industry have a lot to do with it.

To be honest when most otherwise decent modern or contemporary buildings look terrible, it's because they have horrible windows. Think of every ugly building, picture it with better windows, and suddenly the beast appears more palatable.

It all comes down to money. Someone specs expensive windows, preliminary budgets are prepared, the owners shits, someone VE's it, and the good windows are put in as an add/alt .....one that's never pursued.

On the aesthetic of the last 65 yrs, I think 90% of it is hideous. I understand why it's impractical to return to pre-war construction. Doesn't mean I like it.

Up through the 20s, even the cheapest, shitties row-homes were given some discrete (if mass-manufactured) ornamentation. These days, no one designs that, because they know the owner will never foot the bill (the exception being preser/restoration or integrating additions to protected properties)

Ah, anyway. /rant
 
They broke this building up, visually, very well. Always a big fan. As much as I hate forced setbacks I think it might have helped here if only for more sidewalk space.
 
Exciting to see this area start to come together. Still a long way to go, though.
 
Exciting to see this area start to come together. Still a long way to go, though.

I agree. It amazing to see how much this area has changed just with the addition of trilogy. I am much more enthusiastic about the redevelopment of this area moreso even than the seaport.
 
Nice work. My first quick mental assumption was that I was looking at Boylston in the Back Bay.
 
A few from Monday

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The past decade was good to this stretch of Boylston:

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Case in point, here's a couple shots from summer 2005:

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Those first two really illustrate well how boring these glass boxes are with no ornament.
 
Looks like a stout and stocky 45 Province, except something about the glass structure feels more retro. I even liked it until I paid more attention to the glass.
 

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