Liberty Mutual Tower | 157 Berkeley Street | Back Bay

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

datadyne007 said:
Great post. These are my exact feelings too. Plus, it allows for the Hancock and 111 Huntington to stand as the only shining spires on this part of the skyline. A (fat) glass Liberty Mutual tower would only ruin the presence these two glass towers command on the skyline.
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Well, I hardly think that the Liberty Mutual building could be considered in anyway a 3rd tower, whether glass or granite, unlike a future Copley Place (glass-skinned) Tower, which certainly would stand proudly with it's two glass-skinned neighbors! Having said this, The Liberty Mutual building is a handsome guy...and like many handsome people, present company included, they do not photograph well at certain angles! :)

What can I say, I'm a glass-curtainwall aficionado when it comes to high-rises!
 
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

datadyne007 said:
LOVE this angle. It really looks fantastic from this POV.
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It looks fantastic from most angles. There is the one, fat stump angle, but there are so many approaches to the building if viewed along the street grid that look tall and even slender. It's a very nice building that fits in well with surrounding architecture. It doesn't need to stand out as an homage to the latest design ideals.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I love this building, baby fat and all.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

atlantaden said:
Well, I hardly think that the Liberty Mutual building could be considered in anyway a 3rd tower, whether glass or granite, unlike a future Copley Place (glass-skinned) Tower, which certainly would stand proudly with it's two glass-skinned neighbors! Having said this, The Liberty Mutual building is a handsome guy...and like many handsome people, present company included, they do not photograph well at certain angles! :)

What can I say, I'm a glass-curtainwall aficionado when it comes to high-rises!
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That's the point. It wouldn't be a glass tower. It would be a glass lump that would detract from the glass towers around it.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

A 20ft neon Soviet hammer and sickle would be right at home on the roof.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

LOL! The building is a dull POS .......... unimaginative ........... dreary and FAT!
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

...I can feel the quality leeching out of this forum...

It's not perfect (no retail, etc.) but I personally feel it's preferable to most things built in the city over the last decade. Chalk it up to materials. And, as it's been mentioned before, it is at least somewhat attractive from every angle except for the wide side.

Also... it's the headquarters of a stodgy old insurance company. Did you honestly expect anything other than "unimaginative?"
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Downburst said:


Also... it's the headquarters of a stodgy old insurance company. Did you honestly expect anything other than "unimaginative?"
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Can you say, John Hancock??
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Alright, admittedly eating crow on that one... I would like to say that the JHT is an exception to that rule, but a cursory search for "insurance headquarters buildings" on Google reveals otherwise.

In my defense, I see the JHT more as response to a certain skyscraper built by a rival insurance company down the street more than anything. And while it was certainly innovative for its time (despite the many construction issues) I certainly wouldn't call it imaginative. The JHT is probably the simplest skyscraper in terms of form and aesthetics that I know of.

Not to knock the JHT down or anything, it's one of my favorite buildings.

Sorry for being off-topic, I'm done now. On topic: the fruits of my earlier search.

First hit: http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2012/05/08/top-10-best-insurance-headquarters

Strangely enough, this building is on the list: "...a look to the future."
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

My Fiancee works for Liberty and she says that, according to the floor plans thats she's seen, the layout is supposed to be very nice for employees, with lots of lower level employees (ie, the kind that don't get dedicated offices) still getting window views and all that.

But then, I'm a sucker for the inside of buildings making life convenient for the inhabitants.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I've heard the same thing. They were looking at "good for the goose/gander" demountable glass panel systems sitting 6x6, 6x12 or 12x12 on a grid, with offices only reserved for VP's and everyone else in the half-height spaces? And everything easily reconfigured (compared to stick built, at least.) Can't remember who told me that though.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Dare I say that I'm genuinely pleased with this building and pleasantly surprised by how it's turning out?
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Exceptional craftsmanship, attention to detail, and quality materials. This building isn't supposed to be a stunner, it houses a company dedicated to minimizing risk. As an office development, I think it's a better tower than Russia Wharf. Street level is a different story, but we'll see how the first floor is built out with Liberty Mutual.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Amazing addition to the city which lacks many of the old style buildings so many other cities bostons age have, we missed out big in that time period but atleast this will bring some more of that look to boston.
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

From today.

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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

If only Ronald Regan were alive today to shout..."Mr. Landlord, tear down this billboard!!"
 
Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

skybridge looks cool,there r too many signs of all types in this city!
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Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

This building looks good from almost every angle except from the westbound turnpike. Too bad that so many people see it from that angle after coming out of the TWT.
 
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