Harvard SEC (Science & Engineering Complex) | Western Ave | Allston

found5dollar said:
Woaaaaah. Did you take any of these pictures? If so they could be "picture of the year" material
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No, those are from the internet. I took a few on my cellphone a few years ago that were sadly, deleted.

If you've ever been to the Northeastern ISEC, you would agree those pics don't even do it justice.

The first time I visited was one of the most amazing atrium walk through experiences I have ever had. The subsequent visits didn't disappoint. I have exactly ZERO to do with Northeastern except for a shocked admiration for the unbelievable (especially to someone who grew up in the 70's and 80's) energy currently occurring on Columbus Avenue.

This is why the unimaginative, stand alone Harvard SEC architecture, trying to save itself with Esmerelda's Neon Lipstick, is so comparatively 4th rate. Harvard deserved FAR better than this Education First/Glass Waterfall/ Failed Hail Mary.
 
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Not news, but there doesn’t seem to be many interior pics posted. I had the pleasure of running around inside today. Big thumbs up. Seems to be a mix of the MIT Media Lab and the Harvard Student Center.

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Strange detail for that railing. I'd figure you could come up with something more elegant than mesh transitioning to glass with spider fittings...
 
stefal said:
Strange detail for that railing. I'd figure you could come up with something more elegant than mesh transitioning to glass with spider fittings...
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I wonder if the mesh came first, the lawyers/safety officers came second, and the glass came last, as they pondered the effects of non-promotions, flunking, emotional disorders, and depression might have on the general population.
 
The spider connections for the glass are bolted to the pickets rather than shop welded/otherwise integrated. It isn't a smoking gun, but it does suggest that the suicide glass was a complete afterthought (just like pretty much everything else in this heap).
 
Wow, really not an inspiring view Harvard has of its students: putting up 'suicide glass' in a way that almost no public building (open to any crazy who walks in) would do.
 
Is it suicidal people or an OSHA thing?
 
Right, we can only speculate so maybe something expensive fell a few floors and they put up plexiglass. I have seen things like that happen
 
stefal said:
This glass isn't used at Northeastern's ISEC or a few other open atriums recently built..
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Facilities just put up such glass at all the railings for the atrium in the building where I work. I suspect it is going to become common.
 
It seems to be driven by being a certain drop height. That leads to a haphazard look to the railings. For example, glass is up on one side of some stairways, but not others.
 
They should have gone for a more robust and white-painted sun-shade system and darker facade as they did with that model than what they ended up going with.. Looks a lot cleaner and more cohesive.
 
This one looks like a Rt 128 Special wearing tin foil chain mail. Doesn't really project any bravura at all, despite all its apparent effort -- actually, quite the opposite. And the paired-down industrial chic of that atrium is so played out at this point that it's just lazy. Take away the leaping staircases and it could be a Chipotle. But I don't think even Chipotle would install that foolish looking safety mesh over the glass railings. People are going to wonder if they've mistakenly wandered into a Foxconn factory.
 
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