Liberty Mutual Tower | 157 Berkeley Street | Back Bay

[Joe_Schmoe]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I guess this area is officially the grey neighborhood now.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I can't believe I'm typing this but I love the skybridge.

As awesome as it looks, I'm afraid it might just be the skeleton we're seeing. I have a feeling it's going to be clad over with some hideous gerbil tube materials.

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I don't know, I have high hopes for this bridge!

 

[kz1000ps]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I've been pretty neutral on this project up to this point, but with the windows going in I'll have to give it a qualified thumbs down. I agree with others that the stone "detailing" (if you could even call it that) is too severe and I was hoping that the windows would lighten the composition, but having seen them up close now I think they only add to the problem...super dark blue glass with black aluminum frames? Yuck. The whole thing seems to weigh about five times what it should.

However I said I give it a qualified thumbs down, and that's because the weightiness of it all ends up fitting perfectly with the insurance district's ultra-sober character...not that I particularly love said character, but I must give it credit for being brand new and yet fitting right in. Also, given a bit of distance--say one or two hundred yards--I think it's actually one of the better looking developments to go up in recent memory. It's just the up-close and far-away viewpoints where it isn't so hot to trot.

Oh, and I agree that the bridge is turning out to be a nice little surprise. @BostonUrbEx, I think the fact that they're using glass in a structural manner means they won't end up obscuring it in Alucobond or other lowest common denominator materials.

 

[HenryAlan]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I can't believe I'm typing this but I love the skybridge.

I think it's going to be the most attractive skybridge I've ever seen. It is really spectacular, and I suspect the glass tunnel will be nearly invisible from a distance.

 

[HenryAlan]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

As awesome as it looks, I'm afraid it might just be the skeleton we're seeing. I have a feeling it's going to be clad over with some hideous gerbil tube materials.

You can see from this picture that the tunnel will be almost entirely glass. What we see of the bridge will essentially be the cables and the span. The tube will protect users from the elements but won't visually be all that noticeable.

 

[sidewalks]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I'm really liking this project...I hear some of the detailing issues people have with the project, but when complete I think this will be a terrific building. I just hope that there is a semblance of street connectivity for the pedestrian.

 

[cca]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

As awesome as it looks, I'm afraid it might just be the skeleton we're seeing. I have a feeling it's going to be clad over with some hideous gerbil tube materials.

No way. You don't by structural glass to cover it up. What you see is what you are going to get.

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

woohoo, hopefully, this is true!! And I imagine the night lighting is gonna be very sharp as well!!

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Going on a site visit tomorrow for the grand finale to my Prof. Practice class!!

 

[FSUViking]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I think it's going to be the most attractive skybridge I've ever seen. It is really spectacular, and I suspect the glass tunnel will be nearly invisible from a distance.

I take it you haven't seen many skybridges. I grew up in Minneapolis. We have the largest and longest skybridge system in the world. They even have their own app!

 

[dshoost88]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I take it you haven't seen many skybridges. I grew up in Minneapolis. We have the largest and longest skybridge system in the world. They even have their own app!

Off topic, but I thought Calgary had the largest skybridge system. (?)

 

[FSUViking]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Off topic, but I thought Calgary had the largest skybridge system. (?)

Per Wiki:

The world's largest skyway network – Calgary, Alberta's "+15 Walkway" system – has a total length of 16 km (9.9 mi). However, the system is discontinuous, and it does not connect every downtown building. The largest continuous network of skyways – the Minneapolis Skyway System – spans 8 miles (13 km) connecting 69 blocks in downtown Minneapolis.

Other cities in the Midwest, such as Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Rochester, and Saint Paul also have significant skyway systems. On a smaller scale, terminals of large airports are often connected by skywalk systems, as at Manchester Airport, United Kingdom.

The Mumbai Skywalk Project is a discontinuous system of 50 skywalks planned in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, each 1 to 2 km in length. When completed, the system will be the largest skyway system in the world. The first of these is a 1.3km (0.8mi) long skywalk connecting the suburban regions of Bandra and Kurla.[1][2][3]

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

The largest continuous network of skyways – the Minneapolis Skyway System – spans 8 miles (13 km) connecting 69 blocks in downtown Minneapolis.

That's 69 blocks of reduced or entirely absent streetlife.

Pro-tip: advocating for and bragging about extensive skyway systems will get you flamed to no end in any architecture community because they are regarded as severely anti-urban, except in very limited situations such as the Pru and Copley Place.

 

[czsz]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

^ It's still anti-urban at the Pru and Copley Place, only rendered necessary because the street below is also anti-urban.

 

[tobyjug]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Per Wiki:

The world's largest skyway network – Calgary, Alberta's "+15 Walkway" system... The largest continuous network of skyways – the Minneapolis Skyway System...connecting 69 blocks in downtown Minneapolis...Other cities in the Midwest, such as Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Rochester, and Saint Paul also have significant skyway systems...Manchester Airport, United Kingdom...The Mumbai Skywalk Project... [1][2][3]

My guess is that even the crew at the BRA would gladly concede the title!

 

[atlantaden]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

Pro-tip: advocating for and bragging about extensive skyway systems will get you flamed to no end in any architecture community because they are regarded as severely anti-urban, except in very limited situations such as the Pru and Copley Place.

Please don't flame me for saying this but...if they're gonna build a skybridge, sure as hell glad they built one that looks like the Liberty Mutual skybridge!!

 

[tobyjug]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

All the same, I'd rather not see these glass intestines, unless they are building an inside out type building. Then it makes sense.

 

[datadyne007]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I'm just concerned about climate control... If the bridge really is going to be a glass box, that thing could reach well over 100 degrees even on a 80 degree day.

It looks beautiful though. I absolutely love it.

 

[AdamBC]

Re: Liberty Mutual plans major Boston expansion

I'm just concerned about climate control... If the bridge really is going to be a glass box, that thing could reach well over 100 degrees even on a 80 degree day./QUOTE]

Wouldn't that encourage people to cross at street level, thereby increasing street-level activity?