One Kenmore Square | 560 Commonwealth Avenue | Kenmore Square

Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

this thing is straigh-up amazing. if it gets built as currently proposed (sadly, odds are it won't) it instantly becomes the most interesting high-rise in boston, ever.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

DZH22 said:
I'm surprised nobody ripped the rest of these pictures. I don't know the right way to do it so I use snipping tool and save the pictures to flickr.

Capture by David Z, on Flickr
Click to expand...

It’s meltingggg :(
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Beton Brut said:
That's architecture. If we want to call out a movement to assign it to stylistically, I'd suggest Neo-Metabolist.
A sin none of the larger scale projects elsewhere in town aren't even half as imaginative.
Click to expand...

i certainly admire its boldness (a la 1 Bromfield). Striking as it may be (as rendered), it kind of screams "Brutal/Ministry of Love." i think it would look better if it only bulged slightly in its mid-rise and eased back to the width/breadth of its footprint toward the top. Are they pushing the insane massing to hold in reserve (for later forfeit)–as a ruse to preserve height?
 
Last edited:
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

It looks like a stalactite fell from the roof of a cave and drove itself into the ground in the middle of Kenmore. Not a huge fan.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

With all of the development in the area, what transit improvements are planned to serve the additional density? Isn’t the Green Line Central Subway at capacity as is? This would be a great time to advocate for Blue Line to Kenmore, Regional Rail with a Yawkey stop, and/or DMU to Riverside.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

A lot will depend on the execution, and I assume that if they're going with an expensive architect they'll go for expensive materials.

That said, this is a high-risk building. It may be the first time I'll end up wishing the CBT design had been built!
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

How do they clean the windows and how does it shed water / ice?
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

What style is this ?

Neo-Gaudi ?
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

617 said:
What style is this ?

Neo-Gaudi ?
Click to expand...

I think Beton Brut hit the nail on the head with 'Neo-Metabolist'
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

How do they clean the windows and how does it shed water / ice
Click to expand...

Good point about the ice... this thing screams Pedestrian Death Sentence in the winter months with the dangling icicles.

Just build it taller if the inverted slope is about square footage.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

So Gang Studio presumably asked themselves what's contextual for Boston? And they came up with red (as in red brick) and elongated bay windows dripping down the elevations on all sides. They handcuffed their considerable creativity by imposing on it tired, cliche design tropes. Don't hate it but am very far away from loving it. Try again please, something truly stunning is possible here.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Without knowing too many other details, just based on what I've seen here, I have to say that this is a fantastic proposal. The developer now needs to get BU and the Red Sox behind them, otherwise this might fall to the NIMBYs that so often shoot down these kinds of towers.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

I think the tower is awesome. I do admit that I am put off by the fattening as it gets taller. However, while I lack the architectural terminology to put my feeling into words, all I can say is despite being put off, it doesn't feel to me as if this was just some cheap move the architects did to be distinctive. Everything about this building says it was very well thought out, which makes me like it more, since it makes me think about it rather than just looking and deciding immediately if I like it or not.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Brad Plaid said:
So Gang Studio presumably asked themselves what's contextual for Boston? And they came up with red (as in red brick) and elongated bay windows dripping down the elevations on all sides. They handcuffed their considerable creativity by imposing on it tired, cliche design tropes. Don't hate it but am very far away from loving it. Try again please, something truly stunning is possible here.
Click to expand...

i'm creeping up to this opinion, as well. it's going to be too controversial, and could give nimby's a rallying cry to rail against the Planning Authority that the City is being ruined by outlandish buildings. A straight wedge proposed for 420' might be approved with 1/4 of the public noticing. Odd that with this one (in addition to BU's stupid proposal), you can make a better case that a few bad ideas are getting past the firewalls.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

bigeman312 said:
With all of the development in the area, what transit improvements are planned to serve the additional density? Isn’t the Green Line Central Subway at capacity as is? This would be a great time to advocate for Blue Line to Kenmore, Regional Rail with a Yawkey stop, and/or DMU to Riverside.
Click to expand...

Look up the Green Line Type 10 project.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

That's some weird shit going on there. Looks like the spaceship from "Cowboys and Aliens".
Build it.
Go well with BU's stack of crates project!
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

617 said:
What style is this ?

Neo-Gaudi ?
Click to expand...

fachada-casa-batllo-gaudi-barcelona-dosde-publishing.jpg


^^^^Casa Batllo, Barcelona.

That one elevation looks like dripping candle wax.
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

CSTH said:
How do they clean the windows and how does it shed water / ice?
Click to expand...

These are really worthwhile questions (that seem to get lost in Boston).
 
Re: Crossroads at Kenmore | 560 Commonwealth Ave | Kenmore Square

Brad Plaid said:
So Gang Studio presumably asked themselves what's contextual for Boston? And they came up with red (as in red brick) and elongated bay windows dripping down the elevations on all sides. They handcuffed their considerable creativity by imposing on it tired, cliche design tropes. Don't hate it but am very far away from loving it. Try again please, something truly stunning is possible here.
Click to expand...

Holy crap, what would please people around here regarding imaginative architecture? The Route 128 abomination/insult to Boston being rushed through the BPDA across the street under the Citgo sign?????????

And this fits well within its context as opposed to the BU Leaning Book Stack proposal up the street. It is intent on IMPROVING the pedestrain/bike experience with the large public plaza and opening up that relief street in back to help traffic patterns. None of that is being done with the narcissitic BU Falling Book Stack that is like an obnoxious party guest that talks over its surroundings.

Don't look a Gift Horse in the Mouth. The street/pedestrian/bike improvements would help transform Kenmore Square a world-class spot (as long as the disaster across the street can get blocked).

That being said, I do agree with the questions about icicle danger there......
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top