Listen, The buildings actually came out alot better than I expected. The problem I have is the location for this type of developments. These type of buildings belong in Kendall Square (Cambridge) or 128.
Was eating at Legal Seafoods on Saturday Night. The area was hopping.
My question, Between walking from the bridge in between the Parking lots, and the Fan Pier buildings (Something is not right with the planning.) I can't figure it out.
#1 What is going make the area vibrant and walking friendly from the Financial District to the Restuarants? I know the buildouts still have to happen but with all the box buildings how can this area really be unique to walk around.
Something is not right.
I think you've answered your own question. I'm not a fan of these buildings from an architectural standpoint, but the overall plan seems like it should enliven the area once it reaches completion. You can already see this down by the WTC/Fish Pier/Jimmy's area. Pier 4 is going to help fill in the gap a bit, but the big thing that still needs to happen is the second tier of lots need to be converted to building stock.
What does everybody think of a Trolly going back & forth the Financial District to the restaurants. Like San Fran type?
You mean a street level, heritage line like the Embarcadero service? I don't know, seems kind of duplicative with the existing subway that serves that part of town.
Free trolly, next to James Hook Lobster, crossing the Northern Ave Bridge, continuing on Northern Ave and then cutting over to the convention center on E Service Road. Or maybe just go straight all the way to the cruise line terminal. Not intended to compete with the Silver Line--make it a free hop-on, hop-off thing like the 16th street mall in Denver. Line the route with bars and retail. Give the Seaport a spine.
Free trolly, next to James Hook Lobster, crossing the Northern Ave Bridge, continuing on Northern Ave and then cutting over to the convention center on E Service Road. Or maybe just go straight all the way to the cruise line terminal. Not intended to compete with the Silver Line--make it a free hop-on, hop-off thing like the 16th street mall in Denver. Line the route with bars and retail. Give the Seaport a spine.
Sloppy in what way?
The amount of air handlers in the mech. levels need X amount of air. To accomplish this louvers are needed of a sufficient open space.
It's hard to get architecturally pleasing louvers when you need so much of them to be open. When you have lower CFM demands maybe you can get better screened ones with less open air to integrate better into the building.
Either the louvers grow along the building to allow for a more pleasing look (that is still going to jar with the glass) that still has the amount of open air space, or you get what we have right here.
I've been a fan of the trolley idea for years. Push it all the way to the Black Falcon pier, though, to give cruise ship tourists a fun way to get into town. (Of course, the taxi industry wouldn't be happy with that.) And, wouldn't this help those going to the Harpoon brewery?
Design issues aside, the visually jarring element is that they are all_the_same_height. Exactly the same. For a walkup this is fine because they are human scale, but once you pass 12 story's or so you really need some setbacks and/or difference in overall height between buildings. Right now it looks like a giant FRA grim reaper came with a scythe and chopped the tops off a bunch of towers.