Seaport Neighborhood - Infill and Discussion

Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Sicilian said:
IMHO, Boston rests on its laurels... so many buildings with good chops from 1600 - 1925. Thereafter, it's a mediocre trajectory with a few stellar exceptions. From what I've read, that seems to be the assessment of critics and great architects worldwide.
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First, Boston excelled at urbanism, with relatively mediocre vernacular architecture (1600-1925).

Then, Boston excelled at architecture (some Brutalist, modernist gems) while trashing the rest of its built environment (1925-mid 1970s).

Now, Boston is building a whole lot of both but not exceeding at either.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Somewhere around 2025 the Shanghai folks will start to regret some of what they demolished (in the 1990 photo) in order to build all those towers (in the 2010 photo). The 1990 Shanghai may actually be better urbanism, at the pedestrian/street level, than the 2010.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I agree, Ron. The 1990 photo isfar more appealing. Ive been to Shanghai, during the low rise era. At the time, Beijing had already begun tower construction, and Shanghai was a far better experience to me as a tourist. I see very little tnat appeals in the second picture, but it sure is shiny!
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

If you are talking about Pudong...the side with all the towers, it was a total wasteland pre development. Now if they're taking the wrecking ball to the Bund side then I'm in agreement with you.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I see dozens of towers on both sides of the river in the second picture. It appears to me that they obliterated Bund.

The Boston equivalent of that picture would be a SPID full of awesome gleaming towers, and a North End that has been replaced by more gleaming towers. No thanks!
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Are there really people in this thread asking why Boston isn't like Shanghai?
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

If you look at the second photo you can see that it is zoomed out a fair bit. The towers (Bund side) are mostly back towards Peoples Sq. and Puxi in Jing'an, which have seen some extensive development but never really had much character anyway.

The Bund has always been a pretty small area and as far as I know (from relatives who live there and my last visit) it has been pretty well preserved, or at least maintains the pedestrian experience (such as the Nanjing Road). The city/state is also taking huge steps to make the riverfront of the Bund more accessible http://www.flickr.com/photos/bricoleurbanism/3409148424/. Luwan District (the french concession) has also retained most of its flavor.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Are there really people in this thread asking why Boston isn't like Shanghai?
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No; I posted that as a joke based on whighlander's comment.

It appears to me that they obliterated Bund.
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They didn't; the Bund is still fully intact, as are many of the early 20th century buildings on the side of the river that was built up prior to 1990. The current mix in that area is not unlike downtown Boston.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

czsz said:
No; I posted that as a joke based on whighlander's comment.



They didn't; the Bund is still fully intact, as are many of the early 20th century buildings on the side of the river that was built up prior to 1990. The current mix in that area is not unlike downtown Boston.
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Cool -- that's hard to tell from the perspective of the picture. Downtown Boston should be an example of how to preserve medieval character while adding modern height.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

^ I'd say the City of London does this best, with Boston maybe tied with New York's Financial District for second.

Not really the fault of the latter; the City was able to learn that setback requirement-beating plazas kill the atmosphere and that too-rectangular forms sit awkwardly along curvy streets.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

czsz said:
First, Boston excelled at urbanism, with relatively mediocre vernacular architecture (1600-1925).

Then, Boston excelled at architecture (some Brutalist, modernist gems) while trashing the rest of its built environment (1925-mid 1970s).

Now, Boston is building a whole lot of both but not exceeding at either.
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CZ -- That is far from the accepted view -- a bit closer is that over the period from the late 18th Century to the early 20th Boston had a number of firms and individuals who both contributed to the urbanism of Boston and also contributed one or more significant and in many cases nationally recognized buildings -- including:

1) Bulfinch
2) Gridley James Fox Bryant; Arthur Gilman; Ami Burnham Young; and Alexander Paris
3) Trinity Church: Richardson; Cummings and Sears; and the rest of Copley Square
4) Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge; Cram and Ferguson; Clarence Blackall (Blackall, Clapp and Whittemore)
5) Densmore, LeClear & Robbins; Arthur Bowditch; Desmond and Lord; Thomas M. James

Of course there have been many anonymous buildings by anonymous architects / or perhaps builders that just form the urban fabric that is unique to Boston in the U.S.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

South-St.-Seaport-Overview1-500x277.jpg


South-St.-Seaport-Doors-500x370.jpg


South-St.-Seaport-Glass-500x370.jpg


http://blog.archpaper.com/wordpress/archives/34183

Redesign for South Street Seaport in NY

Boston Seaport can has something with materials this nice, plz?
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Replace the top two floors with Alucobond and mirrored glass, and you'll have a contemporary Boston building.

And you can't have two buildings next to one another without a large patch of grass and shrubs in between. Come on.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Dig this:

South-St.-Seaport-Pavilion-500x296.jpg

A FIVE TO SIX HUNDRED SEAT GLASS MUSIC PAVILION OPEN ONTO A ROOFTOP LAWN.

Inspired by open-air concert hall at Tanglewoood, a rooftop glass enclosure (60’ x120’) will hold and audience of 500 to 600. In warm months, the pavilion doors will open and music will spill onto a rooftop lawn. A smaller pavilion to the east will house a restaurant.
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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Beton Brut said:
Dig this:
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Inspired by open-air concert hall at Tanglewoood, a rooftop glass enclosure (60’ x120’) will hold and audience of 500 to 600. In warm months, the pavilion doors will open and music will spill onto a rooftop lawn. A smaller pavilion to the east will house a restaurant.
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I don't think so -- last time I remember being at Tanglewood and the Koussevitzky Music Shed there was a fine orchestra playing under a roof in a warm wood enclosure with the back open to a real country lawn with trees, hills and and an open sky with a faint background of the sounds of nature

800px-Tanglewood_Music_Shed_and_Lawn%2C_Lenox%2C_MA.JPG


twd2011_rosner.jpg


Try as hard as you can -- the "inspired by place" is still stuck on the edge of a stinking river in the middle of a city -- you won't be able to hear a pp over the howling, screeching and wailing of the city which certainly never sleeps during the concert

PS: for those not acoustically versed -- "a rooftop glass enclosure (60’ x120’) will hold and audience of 500 to 600. " -- Glass is about a bad a material for a pleasant listening experience as you can possibly select -- it directly reflects all sound frequencies with nearly no absorption or random scattering -- ie its great for echos
 
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Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Good luck hating on "the middle of the city" on this forum...

Last time I checked, it was still pleasant to hear a street musician, despite honking horns etc. True, this will not be a purist experience for a true classical music afcionado as Tanglewood may be, but it will be a pleasant public space nonetheless.
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

I'm with you on that, but you have to admit...

"Inspired by open-air concert hall at Tanglewoood, a rooftop glass enclosure..."

... is as insipid as a "hand-crafted sandwich."
 
Re: Innovation Dist. / South Boston Seaport

Westie -- In spite of the marketing-speak, I assumed this element was a riff on this venerable NYC venue.

I think it's safe to say that the developer will employ an acoustician so the space is functional for non-amplified music.
 
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