Millennium Tower (Filene's) | 426 Washington Street | Downtown

[JumboBuc]

Also, I apologize if this is a dumb question, but what are the purpose of the large yellow metal screens that have gone up since yesterday? I noticed two on Hawley St and one on Franklin. Thanks!

 

[datadyne007]

Also, I apologize if this is a dumb question, but what are the purpose of the large yellow metal screens that have gone up since yesterday? I noticed two on Hawley St and one on Franklin. Thanks!

The screens are another Peri product, called Peri LPS or "light protection screen." It allows light to enter the interior while keeping the workers safe from falling. Those clamps hanging off the slab that bob asked about earlier are for the rails that support the LPS.

400 Park Ave South, New York, NY

http://www.peri-usa.com/projects.cf...893/currentimage/2/referencecategory_ID/6.cfm

 

[jdrinboston]

The screens are another Peri product, called Peri LPS or "light protection screen." It allows light to enter the interior while keeping the workers safe from falling. Those clamps hanging off the slab that bob asked about earlier are for the rails that support the LPS.

400 Park Ave South, New York, NY

http://www.peri-usa.com/projects.cf...893/currentimage/2/referencecategory_ID/6.cfm

So are these screens another version of the "climbing form" that typically surrounds cast in place construction buildings? If so I'm somewhat surprised because I would have thought we wouldn't have seen this until we got a couple tower floors under our belt.

 

[datadyne007]

So are these screens another version of the "climbing form" that typically surrounds cast in place construction buildings? If so I'm somewhat surprised because I would have thought we wouldn't have seen this until we got a couple tower floors under our belt.

No, they are not slip-form panels. They are solely for worker security. I think the use of these might waive the requirement of "locking in" for workers, as typically all GC's require that anyone more than 4 feet (yes, a mere 4 feet) above the ground, have safety ropes attached to themselves to prevent falling per OSHA. Recently there was a tragic falling death at Framingham State Univ.'s new science addition where a worker was not secured to a safety line, fell 20 feet, and died. With the Peri LPS, the workers can probably freely move about the upper floors without being tethered into a safety harness.

The LPS is indeed designed to climb with the building though sort of like a slip-form, so as they finish/permanently enclose lower floors, they can move the LPS up to protect the floors above and so on.

 

[HenryAlan]

Yeah, I know nobody really cares about this but me, but I'm still sad.

I care, and not just because it no longer says Filene's. The type face is all wrong for the clock and building. You can combine modern with classic, which the project in its entirety does quite well. But on the clock, that sign is too starkly contrasting and just looks cheap.

 

[BeeLine]

I care, and not just because it no longer says Filene's. The type face is all wrong for the clock and building. You can combine modern with classic, which the project in its entirety does quite well. But on the clock, that sign is too starkly contrasting and just looks cheap.

Take heart. The clock on the Washington Street side of the building still has Filene's on it.

Photo taken this afternoon.

 

[JG573]

I'll make my first post here as I finally have moved back to Boston after living elsewhere but I am quite excited about this development as the tower rises and especially the improvements to the Downtown Crossing Station and plaza around it.

I saw the building today and was impressed with the renovation but especially the new treatment to summer street as they have finally done something besides all brick and brought it up to curb height. I just wish they would continue this treatment in all of the pedestrian zones with improvements such as tables and chairs. Also expand the closure of vehicles to more of Washington street with permanent and retractable bollards to keep more vehicles out but maybe that discussion is for another thread.

 

[DZH22]

I care, and not just because it no longer says Filene's. The type face is all wrong for the clock and building. You can combine modern with classic, which the project in its entirety does quite well. But on the clock, that sign is too starkly contrasting and just looks cheap.

I actually thought the H was a double L. Like llama, only in this case, llavas. Incredibly dumb sign.

HOWEVER, that being said, Filenes was a company that no longer exists. I'm surprised that any of the signs still say Filenes. This building isn't Filenes anymore.

On another note, I do wonder sometimes if some future bozo will try to change the names of the John Hancock Tower or Prudential Tower, similarly to the Sears Tower in Chicago being renamed the Willis Tower. Even though those names are so ingrained in us at this point, they're also just the names of companies, nothing more. What's to stop another company from buying those towers and rebranding them?

 

[JohnAKeith]

Someone from the Normandy Partners or whomever it was that bought it before Boston Properties bought it told me that it was in the deed that the Hancock tower could never not be the Hancock tower.

 

[stick n move]

Iv heard the same about the pru also.

 

[markhb]

Someone from the Normandy Partners or whomever it was that bought it before Boston Properties bought it told me that it was in the deed that the Hancock tower could never not be the Hancock tower.

... and if Wikipedia is to be believed, the head of marketing at Prudential at the time the Center was sold was a Boston native, and Prudential Financial actually retained the naming and signage rights as part of the deal.

Edit: Sorry for the crosspost.

 

[bostoneophyte]

Beta Boston posted some pictures of Havas' new digs: http://bit.ly/1pKCt3M

 

[Suffolk 83]

1. no wonder it didnt take very long the inside isnt completely redone.

2. awesome to see this with two 2 floors up on the tower! Now we're really cooking with spanish gas

 

[datadyne007]

1. no wonder it didnt take very long the inside isnt completely redone.

My thought exactly. I'm left uneasy by the interiors and I normally love the industrial look. There's industrial chic and then there's just unfinished. This is leaning much closer to the latter.

Also, they actually bolted sconces to those decaying brick pilasters?

 

[JumboBuc]

Also, they actually bolted sconces to those decaying brick pilasters?

The caption on the BetaBoston posting says that those sconces are made from original Filene's heating duct grates.

I also love the captions pointed out the natural light that comes through the glass curtain wall overlooking the tower construction site. Hopefully, that natural light won't be in those rooms for long...

 

[cden4]

IIRC the street and sidewalks on Summer St have always been at the same level. It's Washington St where there are curbs with a height difference.

 

[datadyne007]

Jumbo, thanks for that info. The sconces are cool. I just wish they were attached to brick that wasn't decaying.

In addition to the matter of underdesigning, there's also the matter of overdesigning, such as this stair moment:

There is a time and a place for a bold floating volume. You need sufficient height in order for a moment like this to be successful. This is not successful in the slightest. Look at the tight head-clearance. It's a forced moment that is unnecessary and awkward.

I'm so disappointed in these interiors.

 

[statler]

Well the good news, I suppose, is that if you don't work for Havas, we really don't have to worry about it.

 

[davem]

I'm so disappointed in these interiors.

Me too. I think the issue is unlike your standard exposed brick and beam building, which was built as a warehouse or factory (and therefore typically exposed throughout its life, and somewhat decently detailed), what they exposed here was unquestionably always meant to be covered. Add onto that the fact that Trinity was planning to demolish everything and took no care when they tore out the old interior, you're left with a really ugly starting point.


Of course, the interior designers missed the mark as well. The color palate bothers me, its somehow both too dark and too light. I can see what they were going for here, but the execution is just... bad. Luckily, they are just a tenant.

 

[jdrinboston]

Me too. I think the issue is unlike your standard exposed brick and beam building, which was built as a warehouse or factory (and therefore typically exposed throughout its life, and somewhat decently detailed), what they exposed here was unquestionably always meant to be covered. Add onto that the fact that Trinity was planning to demolish everything and took no care when they tore out the old interior, you're left with a really ugly starting point.


Of course, the interior designers missed the mark as well. The color palate bothers me, its somehow both too dark and too light. I can see what they were going for here, but the execution is just... bad. Luckily, they are just a tenant.

Is this an example of a company trying to wedge their specific culture into a space that was never really apt for it...aka square peg and round hole?

Could a quirky, edgy, office-less design have been done here given the age and inner bones of the building?