Lyrik Back Bay | 1001 Boylston Street (Parcel 12) | Back Bay

Respectfully, I'm glad none of you in favor of messing with this stretch of Boylston could bring your ideas to bear. This bridge over a river/floodplain doesn't need a starchitect redesign or a bunch of gimmicky kiosks, it's great as it is.
 
BronsonShore said:
Uh, no. Cutting a road through one of the best parks in Boston (and the one that probably most closely adhere's to Olmsted's original vision) is not a great idea.
Click to expand...

It's especially too bad that some of the nicer parts of the park (the Victory Gardens) are right in that line where Boylston bends.

urbanmansprawler said:
This bridge over a river/floodplain doesn't need a starchitect redesign or a bunch of gimmicky kiosks, it's great as it is.
Click to expand...

You're out of your mind if you think this is "great".
 
Blackbird said:
It's especially too bad that some of the nicer parts of the park (the Victory Gardens) are right in that line where Boylston bends.



You're out of your mind if you think this is "great".
Click to expand...
I recognize pedestrian islands are a necessity on a road heavily used by cars and walkers, and I don't think they need to be anything other than useful. I've stood there 1000s of times, no worse off for it.
 
urbanmansprawler said:
I recognize pedestrian islands are a necessity on a road heavily used by cars and walkers, and I don't think they need to be anything other than useful. I've stood there 1000s of times, no worse off for it.
Click to expand...

Is it used heavily by walkers? I find the stretch usually pretty devoid of life especially considering the hustle and bustle along Boylston in either direction.

I've also stood there "1000s" of times. I don't think I'm scarred for life from the experience, but I agree with xec that it's a gross, auto-centric mess of an intersection along Boston's flagship street in the middle of one of its nicest, historically significant parks.
 
Core still has a lil ways to go but it's already providing an excellent preview of the impact this building will have on the skyline:

IMG_1643.jpg
 
Last edited:
I actually like the changes to the plaza better now. It looks a bit more open and inviting. Plus the spiral staircase around what I'm assuming is an elevator and a little cafe is a nice touch. I definitely miss the reddish coloring of the portion above the highway as now the browns look like a generic shopping center from the '80s or '90s. Also, what is with that blocked-out portion on the top left of the shorter tower? It looks so strange! Why can't it be windows as it was before?
 
Gauging by renders like this the top 2 floors are rentable space with an outdoor terrace, so most of the crown is windows with that corner being used for the mech screen. Compared to the left tower where the crown is all mech screen. It had to go somewhere so it went there.
parcel_12_2.png
 
stick n move said:
Gauging by renders like this the top 2 floors are rentable space with an outdoor terrace, so most of the crown is windows with that corner being used for the mech screen. Compared to the left tower where the crown is all mech screen. It had to go somewhere so it went there.
parcel_12_2.png
Click to expand...
There has to be a better way they can incorporate the mechanical screen up there. One corner of off-colored screen and the rest windows? And it's on the most visible side as you come into the city on the Pike! It's extremely poor design and definitely can be disguised better. Just open it above it and continue the glass in front of it. Even if it looks darker than the other windows up there sometimes, it's still far better than a beige blanked-out corner!
 
Was meandering around the streets between Hemenway / Mass / Boylston yesterday and this thing is pretty shockingly prominent from spots I never expected
 
The latest version looks like an unfortunate instance (aren't they all) of Value Engineering.

Feels like a cheapening of both:
1) the Mass Pike-facing podium/undercarriage elements (moving from terraced greenery, with a wood (?) or copper (?) podium and nice cross-bracing over the Pike ... to something vaguely Brutalist, akin to the most deadening aspects of the Boston Federal Reserve)

2) the Plaza, where the most interesting element (the second-story promenade / outdoor area) has been eliminated, the 'Spanish Steps' removed, the third-floor terrace on the right-hand side removed - in summary, it went from "inviting and open piazza for people watching" to "walled-off shopping mall." As if they were trying to recreate the wonderful outdoor spaces of the Prudential Center shopping mall.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top