Best New Development of 2009

[briv]

All members are encouraged to nominate a Boston area project* completed in 2009 that they believe is deserving of special recognition for its positive impact on the built environment.

Last year's winner: Battery Wharf

*includes all project types, i.e., building, park, infrastructure project, etc.

 

[palindrome]

Atlantic Wharf, but it probably won't be completed until early 2010.

I don't know if it opened in 08 or 09, but i would also throw a nod to 1330 Boylston.

It won't be winning any architectural awards, but it certainly starts the creation of a street wall along Boylston. Added yuppie retail, but also allowed the fenway community health center to expand.

I'm really having trouble thinking of anything else.

 

[unterbau]

Kind of an off year, I'm thinking. Cambridge Public Library expansion is the only thing I remember getting excited about.

 

[CDubs]

I second Cambridge Library expansion!

 

[Mike]

Wilkins Science Center - Emmanuel College

 

[unterbau]

Wilkins Science Center - Emmanuel College

Wow, they really blew it with the roof, huh.

 

[Shepard]

Puma City (gone to a better place)

 

[cden4]

W Hotel -- it filled in a big gap in the streetgrid

 

[kennedy]

Ames Hotel/Ames Building renovation

 

[AmericanFolkLegend]

Second the Ames

 

[Ron Newman]

I'd nominate Paramount Center at Emerson College, but it doesn't actually open until next spring.

 

[briv]

I totally agree with Ron about the Paramount. I think we can consider it done even though it isn't yet officially open.

I'm also open to Puma City being on the list, even though it was a temporary travelling structure not unique to Boston. I think it made a big impact with the local design community, and some of its effects, for better or worse, can arguably already be seen in the Louis Boston Pavilion going up on Fan Pier.

45 Province should be here as well... 350' blank black wart and all.

 

[bdurden]

I am hoping it is the ICA effect and not the here today/gone tomorrow effect of Puma City but you may be right.

 

[czsz]

^ If only the Louis Boston pavillion were not standing any longer than Puma City. Alas.

 

[ablarc]

Ames, by default; but the real answer to this question ("BEST") is: "the prize in this category will not be awarded this year."

Province Street is a particularly bad choice; to premiate this tepid project is to extend archBoston's imprimatur to the hopelessly mediocre. Better: no prize.

After all, that reflects the truth and maintains a semblance of standards.

Pitiful.

 

[bdurden]

^I disagree. As has already been stated, the Emerson Paramount Center, for it's adaptive reuse, is absolutely worthy of this distinction.

No others, though.

 

[ablarc]

^ Adaptive re-use? They freshened up the sign and put in a tiny theater (mostly all new).

That's Boston's best achievement of the year?


(Wait a minute ... maybe it is !)

What does that say about Boston?

 

[bdurden]

Look closer -- it's more than that (but you knew that already).

Size doesn't matter in architecture, never did.

 

[ablarc]

^ The Age of Diminished expectations vs. the Heroic Age.

 

[Ron Newman]

It's hard to know for sure whether the Paramount deserves the prize until we've been inside. It's not formally open yet, and not even 100% finished, from what I saw last week while peering in from the street.

Perhaps Cambridge Public Library or Ames Hotel for 2009, and Paramount for 2010?