Boston Development Project of the Year 2008

[castevens]

for Emporis's building of the year, in order to be a nominee, it needs to have FINISHED construction as of December 31. All of the skyscrapers (according to Emporis, 13+ usable floors) that fit this criteria are listed on a page -- which has literally THOUSANDS of buildings. They then take votes to narrow that list down to a dozen or two. Then voting begins again and there's a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Awards are given at a small ceremony at the site of the winning building. It's referred to (by us) as the Oscars of Architecture.

 

[nico]

The Charles St. Prison/Hotel

 

[palindrome]

Ooooh a tight race between Battery Wharf and 45 Province.

 

[Cojapo]

Battery Wharf is looks like it is almost complete and looks great. I have to wait to see more of a finished product in regards to 45 Province.

 

[statler]

What's the criteria to qualify as a nominee?

It's a question of first principles, and these are wholly independent of style or regionalism, precisely because they're universal --that is, equally valid in all places (and times).

1. intimate space

2. diversity through small-increment development by different owners

3. boldly-conceived infrastructure (Yeah, canals and landfill !)

4. buildings that touch

5. background buildings --if the paradigm is right.

6. roof forms and materials as unifiers

7. casually varied relationships between buildings (NOT defined by uniformizing rigidities of zoning)

8. small, irregular lots

9. a central focus or main square with a monument or two

10. architecture that's not hidebound with prissy strictures against frank revivalism ("We can't do that, it was done a hundred years ago.")

11. if the streetscape is sound, interesting and pleasant to look at, you don't need many trees. They take up room and divert from the task at hand

12 hundreds of small buildings give you more places than a few dozen big ones

13. if you build a great place you'll make money; you don't have to start with current market wisdom

14. make every square inch count

15 build in the hierachy; coherence will follow (put the most important things in the center)

16. bold topographic ideas like landfill and canals (you make the former with what you excavate to make the latter)

17. don't be afraid to design for the rich. The best things only the rich can afford (Back Bay, Beacon Hill --then and now. The rest of us visit to get our jollies.)

18. pint-sized streets:

19. an intimately-scaled water's edge

20. don't be afraid to design pretty, and don't design for your colleagues

21. don't be afraid to risk a little hokeyness (if you think about it, Back Bay had more than a little Disney in its genes)

22. Taste is perhaps debatable, but mediocrity can be legislated.

We can call the award The ablarc

 

[sidewalks]

The Ablarc...that's a nice idea. I second the proposal.

 

[statler]

I have a better idea.

Since "Best New Building/Development" is already well covered by various organizations and publications, why not a "Worst New Building/Development"?

Let's be honest. We as a group are a lot better at doling out criticism they we are praise.

 

[kz1000ps]

Why not both?

 

[Scott]

The John Silber Award for 'Genius' in Disfiguring a Practical Art, a Sil-bee.