Seaport Square (Formerly McCourt Seaport Parcels)

tocoto said:
"It looks like an overbuilt toolshed"


Exactly!
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Or more like an innovated piece of shit. Most innovation comes out of labs, garages, basements, barns, schools or homes. Nobody is going to walk into this community toolshed and create innovation.
 
This is the rare situation where I can join the pile-on in good conscience.

You know, for a building designed to be an exhibit of what they hope will be an innovative and dense urban neighborhood, they really went against just about everything they're tying to promote. It would have made miles more sense to simply rent space in the mostly empty 1MPD to showcase the kinds of innovation spaces you will be able to acquire and fund in the SPID. I've seen more innovative and classier work in the model homes for trailer parks than here.

In fact, a trailer would have been better for this. At least that sends the message that "this is a dynamic area - this very site could be built on at any minute!" This building says "this area is developing so painfully slowly that we can sacrifice this whole site for decades!"
 
if it's decades, then its bad. But I don't think it will be.

This buildings value comes from the quality of the programming. If it does serves a meeting point, a hang out, and open door to the area and the huge entrepreneur scene here. I have been to the Venture Cafe and some of the incubators in Cambridge, half of it is about socializing and discussing. The other half is actually about the "innovation" and "entrepreneurs" most of which will fail. The scene itself is a huge part of it, and if this building supports the scene, opens it to more people, and is even a fraction as dynamic as the people it hopes to attract, it will serve its purpose.

This is a small building, built in place of a park or parking lot. It's a way to activate the space and serve as a gathering point and marketing tool for the area. It couldn't do this from a rented office floor in a building no one will ever go in without an ID badge. Then when the current craneless parking lots around it get built and filled out, this building will get plowed right down. Hopefully, it creates enough of a following that it fits into a new building, but for the meantime it serves a good use.
 
Shepard said:
It looks like an overbuilt toolshed. I have no idea what's going to happen in this building over the next ten years, but I doubt it would be anything that justifies its existence.

To Sicilian's point, the best case scenario is that the next mayor drops the pretense of the "innovation district" and recognizes this as an actual evolving neighborhood - and to that end re-purposes this building as a theatre (it may be possible) for the remainder of its lifespan.
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The majority of the building is taken up by a large auditorium as it is that is designed to be one big space to present, or can be segmented into 3 spaces, all with seating and projectors.... so not far off.
 
Thanks for the updates BeeLine. Good stuff.
I'm actually fine with this building. It's always been planned as a temp structure. Better to get something built and get people meeting there ASAP until Seaport Square's buildout calls for something bigger here.
 
Would have liked to see some Innovative Coloring. This grey, charcoal, and white color scheme is dull and not very inspiring.
 
Ill give them credit for using black/charcoal. Too many brown/beige/tan schemes not enough white/black buildings
 
BeeLine said:
Would have liked to see some Innovative Coloring. This grey, charcoal, and white color scheme is dull and not very inspiring.
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Totally. It would have been cool to have a brightly colored building that stands out in the sea of boring architecture and parking lots. This grey building just blends into the parking lots. It could have become a beacon for the Seaport.
 
If anyone on this project has the right imagination, its color presents a great opportunity to test some fun lighting schemes to bounce off of it at nighttime. That'll draw attention to the neighborhood.
 
The Automile called; it wants its Lexus dealership back.
 
Why is it that this and the Puma World, both TEMPORARY buildings, are more interesting than the hulking permanent ones?
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
Why is it that this and the Puma World, both TEMPORARY buildings, are more interesting than the hulking permanent ones?
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I honestly think it's an insult to lump PUMA CITY in a category with this garbage. PUMA CITY was an experiment and active laboratory for the use of shipping containers in architecture. It had a purpose and a mission. It was truly innovative. This futuristic mess that does belong on the Automile has none of that and manages to be less innovative in its architectural being despite being called an innovation center.
 
I like it. The video screens that will go on the tower trusses will add a lot of color and maybe some interesting signage will go up too. With landscaping and some outdoor furniture it'll be fine.
 
It doesn't seem to be very large. So what is an "innovation center" used for?
 
^ A bullet point in a list of accomplishments for a mayoral campaign
 
briv said:
It doesn't seem to be very large. So what is an "innovation center" used for?
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It collects all the nearby innovation, concentrating it into a smooth, moderately corrosive paste available in any number of fun flavors.

There is also curbside service for innovation on the go.
 
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