Skanska Office Tower | 380 Stuart Street | Back Bay

Max Power said:
This stretch has this very unique vernacular. It's this 30s-50s gray, stone vibe that isn't really replicated anywhere else in the city. You can just picture the hats and briefcases smoking musty cigs.
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This really captured it. I used to commute in to Boston in the late 60's into the Greyhound station nearby. There were a lot of ad agencies in the neighborhood then. The neighborhood had that "Mad Men" look to it.

Anyway, I'd be ok with it if it was a taller version of the current front façade, all Madison Ave of the 40's looking. But I don't dig a reptile terrarium or an "iconic" twist and shout.
 
I'm guessing it was a party wall and it got the POMO treatment in the 80's.
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That's always been my assumption too.
 
woof

No, I won't shed a tear for this one.
 
Arnold was (originally?) in the Paine building, yes?

The renovation that took place to 380 was when they added the daycare / park next door, if memory serves. I seem to remember I was disappointed they didn't put another tower in there. Of course, JH has a habit of that sort of thing ... didn't they also decline to sell Winn & Co. their land next to the Turnpike Extension for Columbus Center?
 
JohnAKeith said:
Arnold was (originally?) in the Paine building, yes?

The renovation that took place to 380 was when they added the daycare / park next door, if memory serves. I seem to remember I was disappointed they didn't put another tower in there. Of course, JH has a habit of that sort of thing ... didn't they also decline to sell Winn & Co. their land next to the Turnpike Extension for Columbus Center?
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John -- this isn't your daddy's old JH that built the iconic Weather Beacon Tower complete with John Hancock Hall and the Dorthy Quincy Suite and then 25 years later they built the equally or perhaps superlatively iconic JH Tower -- this is the new JH -- the US face of ManuLife a large Canadian Insurance Company -- our only clear example of their "good citizenship is the Manulife building at Silver Line Way
 
statler said:
I'm guessing it was a party wall and it got the POMO treatment in the 80's.
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Front of the building would be handsome with some nicer windows. Wish they would leave it alone and build something thin and tall in the open space (covering the POMO in the process.)
 
The EPNF was filed on September 18: http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthority.org/getattachment/d77c6b7f-b959-452f-b0f2-7e5f3633fba1

Apologies for the image quality, but the quality of images in the PDF itself is deplorable.

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The street presence is a marked improvement from what's there now and it looks like a quality addition for the Back Bay... But seriously--of all the projects in the city we moan and groan should be taller, I think this takes the cake. This block is begging for a 500-footer.
 
I was just thinking the same thing. I think a 500 foot building here would help balance/ lead up to the Hancock Tower nicely.
 
It looks like the sad, but possibly less destructive, younger sibling of the walkie talkie tower in London.
 
The ground floor interaction also seems somewhat lacking from what I can tell based on the floor plans they show and the renderings.
 
Too fat and too short. It seems like Boston proposals are reverting back to their norm after having a brief renaissance. At least we still have that giant next to the Pru and the Copley Tower to look forward to!
 
This jumps beyond modern to almost sci-fi and that's fine with me though taller and thinner would be much better. Boston, the old gal, could use this shot of the Jetsons.
 
I'm all for pushing the envelope a little. All for including fresh out-of-town design talent. All for giving our corporate citizens a chance to experiment. But with all that, this is what we get? And another sky bridge?

Is this the work of present or previous BRA input? I wonder. If this is the work of the current regime we may need to set our sights low.

What about this building makes it perfect for this block in Boston? Singapore, sure. Our Seaport district, maybe. But the Back Bay?

We nibble away at the very context of our unique city with self-conscious, look-at-me, non-contextual designs like this. If I sound shrill it is only because I am deeply worried that too many bad decisions are being made about our city.
 
Not quite Zaha but trying in staid Boston. Don't get me wrong, in the Back Bay this does not fit.
 
melkor said:
Not quite Zaha but trying in staid Boston. Don't get me wrong, in the Back Bay this does not fit.
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I noticed that too it looks a lot like it pulls from the same vocabulary that Zaha uses in her buildings.
 
Also keep in mind that CBT did the Liberty Mutual tower next door. Liberty Mutual is so refined and elegant, clad in traditional Back Bay-style limestone. This spaceship doesn't belong here.
 
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