MassMutual | 10 Fan Pier Blvd | Fan Pier Parcel E | Seaport

Unlike a lot of others here, I do not necessarily mind glass buildings, or even boxy ones, generally speaking. That being said, it's the metal paneling here that makes it look much too industrial/cold here in my opinion.
 
Topping off was yesterday. Remember when I used to post photos of the foundation construction from my office lunchroom next door? Here's what that view looks like now:
massmutual.jpg


But don't worry, we still have a view of the harbor (or would if we were actually in the office)... sort of.
noview.jpg
 
yeah, I was about to say I was skeptical about the faceting of the panels in the renderings, but they look spectacular in these images. I thought it was going to be gimmicky but so far it adds an element of unexpected grandeur and rhythm to the facade. Of course we need to wait till the whole exterior is buttoned up to see how it looks writ large, but, damn, I am really liking this.
 
found5dollar said:
yeah, I was about to say I was skeptical about the faceting of the panels in the renderings, but they look spectacular in these images. I thought it was going to be gimmicky but so far it adds an element of unexpected grandeur and rhythm to the facade. Of course we need to wait till the whole exterior is buttoned up to see how it looks writ large, but, damn, I am really liking this.
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That brushed finish is really sharp looking.
 
From starting out with the lonely turd of 1mpd, to the end result now has been a massive change. Fan pier as a whole has turned out great especially the harborwalk. Well done, its nice to see a part of the seaport finally reaching its final state.
 
stick n move said:
From starting out with the lonely turd of 1mpd, to the end result now has been a massive change. Fan pier as a whole has turned out great especially the harborwalk. Well done, its nice to see a part of the seaport finally reaching its final state.
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Totally agree stick, especially about the Harborwalk. I'm glad they didn't go with the original plan, which I don't think would have worked out as well as the final design.

Original:
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Final:
16JybVK.jpg



The same is true of Seaport Square. Most of the changes to the original plan made by subsequent lot owners actually improved on the initial design.

Changing block A from residential to hotel got us a rooftop bar with an awesome view of the downtown skyline.

By goldenretrievers:
SfTNLrt.jpg



Changing blocks M1 and M2 from two buildings to three got us a placemaking inner courtyard, which is looking like a great place to hang out.
6j2ogdB.jpg


By BeeLine:
lOFKKmY.jpg


Changing "Seaport Hill" to "Harbor Way" gets rid of an overpass on Congress St., replaces a street with a pedestrian promenade, adds a placemaking, convenient and pedestrian-friendly set of seps to get from Summer to Congress and replaces what looks like a sloping park that would probably have been just a lawn with yet another placemaking courtyard to hang out.

Seaport Hill
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Harbor Way
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All in all, the changes to the Fan Pier and Seaport Square plans so far have been for the better.
 
I disagree with xec, I think fan pier park would've been much better with the initial design. Its not terrible now but that looks considerably better to me. I think the jury is out on seaport hill.

To frame fan pier Park and seaport hill as "design improvements" seems awfully naive to me- they were very clearly cost cutting decisions.
 
Suffolk 83 said:
I disagree with xec, I think fan pier park would've been much better with the initial design. Its not terrible now but that looks considerably better to me. I think the jury is out on seaport hill.

To frame fan pier Park and seaport hill as "design improvements" seems awfully naive to me- they were very clearly cost cutting decisions.
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I agree. The park we got is just another set of lawns. The path is more of the same as what's in front of the Courthouse. It's fine.
The original had a more interesting naturalistic approach to the topography. Like a place to explore/wander instead of just sit on the grass. I bet the broken "soft" coastline also played better into the Resilient Harbor initiative.
 
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Suffolk 83 said:
I disagree with xec, I think fan pier park would've been much better with the initial design. Its not terrible now but that looks considerably better to me. I think the jury is out on seaport hill.

To frame fan pier Park and seaport hill as "design improvements" seems awfully naive to me- they were very clearly cost cutting decisions.
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Seaport Hill is not the improvement, it's the original design. Harbor Way is the improvement.


Bananarama said:
I agree. The park we go is just another set of lawns.
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It's not just another set of lawns. It's a set of lawns plus an esplanade with a killer view of downtown, plus a firepit where people can gather and relax in colder weather, plus a pavilion where you can buy snacks (and pee?), plus steps and a deck from which you get an elevated view of downtown. A lot of those elements would be harder to work into the original plan.


Bananarama said:
The path is more of the same as what's in front of the Courthouse. It's fine.
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What's in front of the Courthouse is a magnificent view of the downtown skyline. By adding "more of the same" it increases the number of viewpoints and perspectives of the skyline, and because the path is curved it allows that view to "unfold" as you stroll towards downtown.

I guess we just have different conceptions of the park. You view it primarily as lawns and a path, where the main activity is sitting on the grass. I view it primarily as a promenade to showcase the skyline and the harbor where the main activity is strolling along, enjoying the views of the harbor (strolling east) or the skyline (strolling west) as they unfold. The lawns are just a "nice to have" secondary element that softens the hardscape and where people can sit on the grass if they so desire.

Aside: Maybe the city should change the name from Fan Pier Park to Fan Pier Promenade (or the more prolix and pompous The Promenade at Fan Pier Park) since that's the outstanding aspect of the place, and not the park itself, which is just meh. I think the name change would affect how people perceive it and interact with it: It's a place to stroll and stare at the skyline, not a place to sit on the grass.

Bananarama said:
The original had a more interesting naturalistic approach to the topography. Like a place to explore/wander instead of just sit on the grass. I bet the broken "soft" coastline also played better into the Resilient Harbor initiative.
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I think that in time the view of the downtown skyline from the esplanade will become the postcard view of the city, and a stroll along the Harborwalk from the Courthouse to Commonwealth Pier — and eventually Drydock 4 and beyond — will become "the must do thing" for visitors and a favorite pastime for residents. A "broken soft coastline" would interrupt that with an anomalous environment that disrupts the continuity of a "stroll along the Harborwalk".

Regarding the "park with lawns" vs. "esplanade with views" distinction check out the comments and pictures at the link below. Note that nobody is praising the lawns and practically everyone is praising the walk and the views. I'm trying to picture what a natural park here would look like that would get the same sort of reactions, but I'm not succeeding. Do you have some specific parks in mind I could Google?

www.google.com

Fan Pier Park · 1 Courthouse Way, Boston, MA 02210

★★★★★ · Park
www.google.com www.google.com
 
Suffolk 83 said:
I disagree with xec, I think fan pier park would've been much better with the initial design. Its not terrible now but that looks considerably better to me. I think the jury is out on seaport hill.

To frame fan pier Park and seaport hill as "design improvements" seems awfully naive to me- they were very clearly cost cutting decisions.
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The original design to Fan Pier park would've resulted in trash being constantly caught in the little inlets shown in the render. It would've just been nasty.
 
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