Holocaust Museum Boston | 125 Tremont Street | Downtown

Equilibria

Equilibria

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SPRA: https://bpda.app.box.com/s/xjyx0hat292ti1fv7u5skducbdapjc5v

Globe Article: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/06/05/arts/design-has-been-announced-holocaust-museum-boston/

They claim that the current building was built in 1955... really? It looks a whole lot older than that.

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I think this is a good replacement for the existing uninspired pastiche building, in both use and architecture. I know I’m asking too much, but maybe this will lead to a removal or replacement of the New England Holocaust Memorial (which I think is the worst one I’ve ever seen).
 
I kind of don't like the portion with the cattle car being cantilevered out and uncovered by the metal mesh. I get the in-your-face approach, but oof it's bleak.
 
stellarfun said:
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125-127 Tremont St. Predecessor building to the building built in 1955. Photo is from 1910. Building looks older, probably late 19th Century.
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Interesting... whoever the architect was in 1955 really nailed it, then. Admittedly, some of the fake Federal details work better than others (see the chimneys), but I think it works as a whole.

It's a shame, IMO, that the decision with this project seems to be to spite the surroundings rather than embracing them.

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Just read the awning on the old photo. Advertised the ticket office for auto sightseeing, even to far-away Lexington and Concord. That must have been quite the trip back in the day.

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^^^ a 1910 Packard 30 Model UC. a "4-cylinder, 30-horsepower, 123.5-inch wheelbase, 7-person touring car"
 
The architecture of this building, in that particular context, is so hideously out of place - - it's an insult. WHO thought this design on that spot was a good idea????? Just look at how it does not dialogue with either neighbor on either side - - not to mention Park Street Church across from it. And yeah, make it bright white!?!?

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For context, here is the full on current context:
www.google.com

125 Tremont St · 125 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108

Building
www.google.com www.google.com

And here is what it faces:
www.google.com

125 Tremont St · 125 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108

Building
www.google.com www.google.com
 
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Equilibria said:
Interesting... whoever the architect was in 1955 really nailed it, then. Admittedly, some of the fake Federal details work better than others (see the chimneys), but I think it works as a whole.

It's a shame, IMO, that the decision with this project seems to be to spite the surroundings rather than embracing them.

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I think it embraces pretty well. The highest portion of the building is a nod to the neighboring Suffolk building ahd the vertical elements overall speak to the block.
 
bdurden said:
I think it embraces pretty well. The highest portion of the building is a nod to the neighboring Suffolk building ahd the vertical elements overall speak to the block.
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Exactly. If you go too far with contextual adherence, you eliminate the possibility of new forms. This will fit in nicely with the two highly divergent styles on either side, yet also stand out as its own statement. Build it!
 
king_vibe said:
I kind of don't like the portion with the cattle car being cantilevered out and uncovered by the metal mesh. I get the in-your-face approach, but oof it's bleak.
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I think they think they are being provocative. When it's actually a disappointing one liner
 
DwnTwnr said:
I think they think they are being provocative. When it's actually a disappointing one liner
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I don't love it either, but there's some context. The cattle car has become kind of a totem for Holocaust remembrance people in the US over the past 10 years. The Illinois Holocaust Museum - on which this one is explicitly based - made a huge deal out of having an authentic cattle car when it opened (I lived there at the time and my family is involved at that museum). A replica cattle car recently toured the Boston area and spent some time at Newton City Hall. I think the idea is that the actual relics of the Holocaust - concentration camps and ghettos - aren't physically located here and this is something they can move. In practice, however, it feels trite, particularly when they're basically shoving cattle cars in peoples faces all over the place.

In essence, this is the foundation saying: "we are the cattle-car-iest of the cattle car havers, so give us money".

In this case I think it's actually worse than that - the average person won't get the association and will think this is a rail museum when they exit the T.

That said, if this were a branch of the Seashore Trolley Museum cantilevering a vehicle out like that would be an excellent idea.
 
Equilibria said:
I don't love it either, but there's some context. The cattle car has become kind of a totem for Holocaust remembrance people in the US over the past 10 years. The Illinois Holocaust Museum - on which this one is explicitly based - made a huge deal out of having an authentic cattle car when it opened (I lived there at the time and my family is involved at that museum). A replica cattle car recently toured the Boston area and spent some time at Newton City Hall. I think the idea is that the actual relics of the Holocaust - concentration camps and ghettos - aren't physically located here and this is something they can move. In practice, however, it feels trite, particularly when they're basically shoving cattle cars in peoples faces all over the place.

In essence, this is the foundation saying: "we are the cattle-car-iest of the cattle car havers, so give us money".

In this case I think it's actually worse than that - the average person won't get the association and will think this is a rail museum when they exit the T.

That said, if this were a branch of the Seashore Trolley Museum cantilevering a vehicle out like that would be an excellent idea.
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It’s crazy that there’s no MBTA transit museum. It would be an obvious success.
 
Java King said:
That's funny, but seriously it would be great to have an MBTA history and transit museum. There is SO MUCH railroad history for the region.
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It would only make sense if the MBTA had some land they don't know what to do with, or some stations or tunnels that they no longer use. Or some old rail cars that they're trying to get rid of. Hmm....
 
Given that the T apparently doesn't have enough funding to hit proposed deadlines, provide on-time and/or safe service, or communicate with their ridership, I don't want that organization distracted by coming up with a plan for, and then building, a museum.

Get the new cars in and running, fix the slow zones, open the damn bike path along the GLX, hire a communications manager who, y'know, communicates, balance the fucked-up budget, figure out the NSL, and THEN think about a fun museum.
 
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