Intercollegiate Museum of Arts and Sciences - City Hall

Shepard

Shepard

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Mayor Menino has said he wants to vacate City Hall. His successor will likely want to as well. Nobody seems to like the surrounding plaza. Generally, though, many seem uneasy about the idea of demolishing the building itself.

Here's a proposal for adaptive reuse... building on Boston's strengths, and enlivening the former Scollay Square neighborhood of downtown...

http://intermuseum.wordpress.com/

Ideally I would like to get some notables offering testimonials/support to the idea, and some press coverage as a result. It may be far-fetched, but can we inject optimism and civic pride into the often gloomy world of Boston development news? I think we can.

Looking forward to hearing what you think. And if you want to help build out an actually functional webpage or help with any PR effort, I've set up an email address: intercollegiatemuseum@gmail.com (or pm me here).
 
Shepard said:
Mayor Menino has said he wants to vacate City Hall. His successor will likely want to as well. Nobody seems to like the surrounding plaza. Generally, though, many seem uneasy about the idea of demolishing the building itself.

Here's a proposal for adaptive reuse... building on Boston's strengths, and enlivening the former Scollay Square neighborhood of downtown...

http://intermuseum.wordpress.com/

Ideally I would like to get some notables offering testimonials/support to the idea, and some press coverage as a result. It may be far-fetched, but can we inject optimism and civic pride into the often gloomy world of Boston development news? I think we can.

Looking forward to hearing what you think. And if you want to help build out an actually functional webpage or help with any PR effort, I've set up an email address: intercollegiatemuseum@gmail.com (or pm me here).
Click to expand...

interesting idea-- timely, I think Brandeis would be interested in discussing, though Harvard and Wellesley have a considerable investment in their museum infrastructure, MIT less so, and those would be key players who may not be willing to play.

I still like the idea (I think proposed somewhere on AB) of a museum of design, something on which Boston undersells itself. So many of the great design thinkers of the last century have some tie to Boston or Cambridge, and for any architect/landscape architect/planner trying to get into the top ranks of design practice or theory teaching/lecturing at MIT and Harvard is still a rite of passage. I think the idea has been pitched in this forum for it to become a museum of design, i would love to see that focus come forward, especially in a building that has been such a huge talking point of design in the city for decades.

Likewise it could be a museum of art in boston in the 20th century, incorporating design, music, theater, photography, literature etc. Maybe a musuem to Boston's golden age in the 19th century, an increasingly needed public reminder of when the term "Hub of the Universe" wasn't a joke.

Anyway, not to steal your thunder, it just got me thinking. I support viable idea that keeps it from being torn down. (Though I thoroughly reject the notion of a new harborfront city hall disconnected from a subway line--better it be in dudley square or one of the many holes on the main peninsula...
 
So is it a private museum or a public museum? Having the city as a landlord would present obvious problems, mainly the programming and content choices.

How much "usable" space would be available in the IMAS-CH? How does this compare to other museums? How do you get past the fact that much of it is office space with low ceilings?

What about sharing the space with other museums? Is this an option? Is it possible? Is it preferable? I assume most museums want complete control over 100% of its space. If the new museum is willing to share, then you could have a separate design museum and you could also make room for the Boston History Museum, too.

Also, about the public/private thing, other museums (ICA, MFA) may be a little angry that a public museum is being subsidized while they have to fend for themselves.

Could the BSA have moved there instead of Atlantic Wharf?
 
I would love to see a museum with a section dedicated to the hardcore scene.
 
Wow! 4 years have passed since I first posted this. A bunch of people have been recently encouraging this idea, and I think it's time to be more vocal and active about it - especially because City Hall redevelopment may actually be coming up on the table.

I've updated with a snazzy website - what do you think? (Feel free to also leave a comment on the website itself!)

www.intercollegiatemuseum.com



I'd love to be able to coalesce a group of like-minded people around this idea. At first, just to discuss and refine the thinking, but ultimately a Phase 1 objective would be to build the network and get some positive responses from both the Mayor's office as well as from various colleges and universities.

Please PM me if you want to get involved, or email me - intercollegiatemuseum at gmail.

Or, of course, reply here!
 
Shepard said:
Wow! 4 years have passed since I first posted this. A bunch of people have been recently encouraging this idea, and I think it's time to be more vocal and active about it - especially because City Hall redevelopment may actually be coming up on the table.

I've updated with a snazzy website - what do you think? (Feel free to also leave a comment on the website itself!)

www.intercollegiatemuseum.com



I'd love to be able to coalesce a group of like-minded people around this idea. At first, just to discuss and refine the thinking, but ultimately a Phase 1 objective would be to build the network and get some positive responses from both the Mayor's office as well as from various colleges and universities.

Please PM me if you want to get involved, or email me - intercollegiatemuseum at gmail.

Or, of course, reply here!
Click to expand...

Website looks freaking fantastic. I really appreciate the fully-reflexive design. Also, great choice of images. I think this website is just what you need as a marketing tool to really get the hype going.
 
Agreed, very nicely done.

Also - found this photo on the website - the mayor has a *sweet* office:

076430pr.jpg
 
Shepard said:
Wow! 4 years have passed since I first posted this. A bunch of people have been recently encouraging this idea, and I think it's time to be more vocal and active about it - especially because City Hall redevelopment may actually be coming up on the table.

I've updated with a snazzy website - what do you think? (Feel free to also leave a comment on the website itself!)

www.intercollegiatemuseum.com



I'd love to be able to coalesce a group of like-minded people around this idea. At first, just to discuss and refine the thinking, but ultimately a Phase 1 objective would be to build the network and get some positive responses from both the Mayor's office as well as from various colleges and universities.

Please PM me if you want to get involved, or email me - intercollegiatemuseum at gmail.

Or, of course, reply here!
Click to expand...

Wow I have to say that's an excellent site, it looks as good as the MFA or MoS sites. I'd be interested in helping out but I'm not exactly sure what I'd be able to do from out here in the suburbs.
 
To be honest, programming-wise I'm not fully sold based on the info from the website. I think while the website takes a fantastic look at the macro scale (the building's relationship with the Plaza), the micro scale (interior) is neglected. It would be worthwhile to have a diagrammatic floor plan showing spatial arrangements of the programming or some sort of interior rendering to help sell the idea of City Hall not being City Hall anymore and rather a museum. City Hall is a fascinating & mysterious building with so many incredibly unique spaces that a lot of the public never gets to see and I want to see what the potential of those spaces can be.

On the website we see pictures of a council chamber, the mayor's office, and the grand entry lobby. How will these become the "Intercollegiate Museum?" What will go in the mayor's office? These are questions that the average person who is not involved in architecture/design will ask. As a designer, my mind runs wild with all the possibilities of what those awesome rooms and spatial volumes can be used for, but a typical person will not be able to embrace the concept unless it is spelled (read: drawn) out in front of them.
 
Thanks everyone for the awesome support!

datadyne007 said:
To be honest, programming-wise I'm not fully sold based on the info from the website. I think while the website takes a fantastic look at the macro scale (the building's relationship with the Plaza), the micro scale (interior) is neglected. It would be worthwhile to have a diagrammatic floor plan showing spatial arrangements of the programming or some sort of interior rendering to help sell the idea of City Hall not being City Hall anymore and rather a museum. City Hall is a fascinating & mysterious building with so many incredibly unique spaces that a lot of the public never gets to see and I want to see what the potential of those spaces can be.

On the website we see pictures of a council chamber, the mayor's office, and the grand entry lobby. How will these become the "Intercollegiate Museum?" What will go in the mayor's office? These are questions that the average person who is not involved in architecture/design will ask. As a designer, my mind runs wild with all the possibilities of what those awesome rooms and spatial volumes can be used for, but a typical person will not be able to embrace the concept unless it is spelled (read: drawn) out in front of them.
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right, Data. I had a "wayfinding" map under construction that I didn't think was ready for prime time. You spurred me to finish up a draft of that. Renders... hmm... yes I realize that's a key component to selling this idea. Not my forte, however. This is where we'll need some help.

Here's what I've put up that I'm referring to:
http://intercollegiatemuseum.com/exhibits-amenities/

1439492307823
 
The dome would clash too much. It would have to be some other shape that works with the hard angles of the building. It would only work if you totally gutted the inside so that the light well there now could be utilized as space. That wouldn't be a terrible thing actually.
 
No man, I've got a vision - shape more like monticello than the US capitol (in other words, more like the pre-1865 capitol dome instead of the 'new' one), with the sides chopped so that from above it would look like a circle sliced by a square of similar dimensions - and offset on the wide part of the facade, nothing too symetrical ... with the light well illuminated and activated, as you anticipated....I'll see if i can mock up something crummy tomorrow to put an image in place of these words.

Trust me - in my head its awesome.
 
A lot of local collages *cough* BAC *cough* are a bit starved for basic classroom space. Pushing more classroom space, and the council chambers, etc used as a lecture halls, in addition to the grand spaces being used for exhibitions would be a plus. This would also generate revenue, which is really, really important. You could also, potentially, lower tuition (or keep them static) by having smaller schools not have to build new or lease whole buildings.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
The dome would clash too much. It would have to be some other shape that works with the hard angles of the building. It would only work if you totally gutted the inside so that the light well there now could be utilized as space. That wouldn't be a terrible thing actually.
Click to expand...

I. M. Pei pyramide anyone?
 
I know they closed up shop when they couldn't get what they wanted on the greenway, but I think the Boston Museum concept was a good overarching concept for a new museum in Boston. Would be perfect for setting up shop in some public area of Boston City Hall. And could host both temporary exhibitions and semi-permanent ones.
 
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