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I have a very definite and harsh opinion of this building but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority. What do other members of the forum think about this building now that its entering the final stages of construction?
 
I kind of like it personally but IRL I have not met a single person who does. Everyone I’ve talked to thinks its jarring and/or ugly. Which is understandable because it kind if is, but for me I think it works with the eclectic skyline of Boston/Cambridge.
 
This morning - final level of glazing going in:

7592FA67-8AF4-4CF6-A6FE-F802A74AA1BE.jpeg
 
citydweller said:
I have a very definite and harsh opinion of this building but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority. What do other members of the forum think about this building now that its entering the final stages of construction?
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I like this a lot and because it is so strange and stands out so much in that area and being on the river, for me that works. The patterns and the stacked-books look really goes well with a university building. I think it works because it is so jarring. The stacked-books building planned by Back Bay station on the other hand seems out of place there and unnecessarily weird. Most people I've talked to find this building to be weird but cool and unique.
 
I don't think it is a good neighbor. We haven't seen the sidewalk/site built yet but the designs are just wide, paved area. It's getting all that great south light and could have planting and/or more seating to be more friendly to the street and passers by
 
DwnTwnr said:
I don't think it is a good neighbor. We haven't seen the sidewalk/site built yet but the designs are just wide, paved area. It's getting all that great south light and could have planting and/or more seating to be more friendly to the street and passers by
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To give you an idea of what they have planned for the the outdoor areas:
ccds6.jpg


And slide 8-19 of this presentation has a blueprint & additional renderings: https://www.bu.edu/cpo/files/2019/12/19.12.03_Student-Town-Hall-Slide-Deck-_v1.pdf
 
citydweller said:
I have a very definite and harsh opinion of this building but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority. What do other members of the forum think about this building now that its entering the final stages of construction?
Click to expand...

I absolutely love it and think it's the best thing under construction now in Boston. Design, materials, prominent placement, all of it is great!
 
citydweller said:
I have a very definite and harsh opinion of this building but I'm wondering if I'm in the minority. What do other members of the forum think about this building now that its entering the final stages of construction?
Click to expand...

I love it. I don't want to see this aped to death throughout Boston ala offset windows or colossal order, but as a university centerpiece without too many neighbors to visually clash against, it's fantastic.
 
It's comically out of scale, lacks any congruent form, and the louvers just annoy the roving eye.

But I'll say this: it admirably distracts from the far uglier BU buildings in its midst. A tiny feather, but in the cap it goes.
 
I like it and think the fact that it's such a contrast to the surrounding neighborhood is a big part of the reason why I like it. It's bold enough to not be a background building in the Seaport or Kendall, but it wouldn't stand out quite as much in either of those places.
 
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