South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

[vanshnookenraggen]

Whats the tallest building there with the top all lit up?

 

[atlrvr]

That's Bank of American Corporate Center, the company's HQ since it was built for the predecessor company NationsBank in 1992.

It was designed by Pelli Assoc., but the lead architect was Turan Duda, who has since opened his own firm Duda Paine.

It's an impressive building (871' tall) and it is lit in blue lighting each fall to support the Carolina Panthers.

The building I always liked is Cleveland's Terminal Tower, when it comes to lighting. It is lit up in red and green for the holiday's. I would like to see this done on the Custom House Tower, which is very similar is design.

 

[Lrfox]

the BOA Building in Charlotte is one of my Favorites. In fact, i think the crown on it is even more impressive during the day or up close. It was designed to look like Queen Elizabeth's Crown (Thank you, emporis). It's a fantastic building and a beautiful model for any architect trying to design spectacular nightlightiing and crowns.

However, while Boston needs better lighting (starting with the Zakim Bridge, what happened there? it was nice at first), Charlotte is not a city to model after. the BOA Building could be interchangeable in many cities (Atlanta, Miami, Houston, L.A., even Cleveland), i have a hard time seeing something similar fitting in Boston. With 115 Winthrop in the works, South Station Tower will not be a centerpiece building and i don't see the need for excessive lighting or crowns. the new design is fine (not perfect, but fine).

 

[BostonSkyGuy]

the BOA Building could be interchangeable in many cities (Atlanta, Miami, Houston, L.A., even Cleveland), i have a hard time seeing something similar fitting in Boston. With 115 Winthrop in the works, South Station Tower will not be a centerpiece building and i don't see the need for excessive lighting or crowns. the new design is fine (not perfect, but fine).

I agree. I think the top of the building is fine, you don't have to have a crown to light up the top of a building. There's a building in NY, I can't remember the name but it's similiar with a translucent top that lights up white/blue at night. If something like that is done to this building, it will add a nice touch while not making it stick out like a SOAR (get it?) thumb due to the surrounding area being pretty...boring in terms of lighting.

 

[czsz]

the BOA Building could be interchangeable in many cities

Sadly, this is true of the vast majority of Boston's skyscrapers (hence the occasional references to Houston-on-the-Bay). The only tower I couldn't necessarily picture in another city is the Hancock, because its signature feature is the reflection of Trinity Church.

 

[aHigherBoston78]

South Station Tower will not be a centerpiece building Duh; it can still be lit up though and look nice.

i don't see the need for excessive lighting or crowns. It's that attitude that has kept Boston in the dark compared to other cities.

Not trying to be bitchy - I just disagree. I'd love to see Boston's towers brighter at night. I agree that BoA tower in Charlotte would be out of place here. My point was the lighting scheme, not the building itself.[/i]

 

[ablarc]

I agree that BoA tower in Charlotte would be out of place here.

Oh, I dunno. It would work nicely on Post Office Square.

 

[Lrfox]

AhigherBoston- It's fine to disagree and you're not bitchy.

The key word in my post which you're responding to was "excessive" While there's nothing wrong with nice night lighting in a variety of colors or a well-lit crown (see Two International). I think south station should have a nice top.

Here's my beef- South Station Tower has already been forced into mediocrity by having the height reduced to a very similar height to it's nearest neighbors (Federal Reserve and One Financial). Adding an extravagantly lit crown won't fix the problems or the skyline. What the skyline needs in order to break the mold is a landmark tower (see 115 Winthrop) and a range in height of the towers.

the reason that the BOA in Charlotte is so beautiful is that it towers over the city. Its crown is like the crown of Charlotte and your attention is IMMEDIATELY taken to that building while looking at the skyline. If you chopped it down to the same height as all the surrounding buildings, BOA would not be as attractive because it wouldn't stand out as much, same problem here. South Station tower will not stand out no matter what you do to the top. I think moderate night lights at the top will look nice (just like Two International Place does); but until there is a certain scale and variety of heights (this is why we NEED Transnational Place) in the skyline, no amount of lighting can fix it.

So, long story short, I'd love to see more lighting (starting with more on the Zakim Bridge again) and a brighter skyline. I was never arguing against that. I was just stating that BOA in Charlotte cannot be used as a measuring stick for SST- they're totally different types of towers (in every aspect).

If you want a BOA type building, argue for a fancily lit-up crown on 115 Winthrop (although i personally like the current design) because that will have the height to grab your attention and stand out.

 

[castevens]

It was designed to look like Queen Elizabeth's Crown (Thank you, emporis).

The exact quote from Emporis:

The building's 60 floors stand as a tribute to the city's namesake, Queen Charlotte, who reined as Queen of England for 60 years.

I think that's cutely interesting. Anything that we can mimic from namesake (Boston, England)?

 

[castevens]

Upon research, the only building really worth noting in Boston, UK is Saint Botolph's Church (otherwise known as the "Boston Stump") which has claims saying that it is the tallest parish church in the UK.

They say that St. Botolph was where "Boston" was derived from in England. I live right off of St. Botolph street in Boston (MA)

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=6790&rendTypeId=4

 

[justin]

Indeed, 'Boston' is a contraction of 'Botolph's town'.

justin

 

[ablarc]

Piano's tower shares proportions, Gothic overtones and top treatment with the Boston stump.

 

[BostonSkyGuy]

What the skyline needs in order to break the mold is a landmark tower (see 115 Winthrop) and a range in height of the towers.

I've been saying this for years.

South Station tower will not stand out no matter what you do to the top.

I disagree with this statement. The design of the building is so different to everything around it that it will definately stand out. At night? Maybe not so much but then again as many have stated-- the city is underwhelming at night on the whole. One of the things I like about this building and what will make it stand out is that from different parts of the city you're going to get different views. From the Harbor it's going to be completely different from Dewey Square (as someone already mentioned) and I think that makes it stand out.

As for the lighting of it, from the beginning of seeing the rendering back on the old board I've wanted the top of this to be lit up at night. I can't imagine that it won't be, but you never know. I always wondered why the architect/designer(s) never show the building at night when they release renderings.

There's a way to make the city look classy with lighting and there's a way to make it look like Dallas. I don't see how adding a white light on a building like this will throw off the whole scheme of things--but it's Boston so who knows if they'll allow it. I will say that the State Street Financial Building is one of my favorite buildings in the city at night. It's not too flashy but it's something that looks good.

 

[statler]

Piano's tower shares proportions, Gothic overtones and top treatment with the Boston stump.

What are the chances that is intentional?

 

[ablarc]

^ Pretty good. He's well informed.

 

[xec]

I agree that BoA tower in Charlotte would be out of place here.

Oh, I dunno. It would work nicely on Post Office Square.

I'd put it over the pike in front of the (former) Tower Records building, then add another lit-crown 30-something story tower in the direction of Kenmore to balance 111 Huntington. That would make for a great view crossing Harvard Bridge or strolling along Mem Drive.

 

[Bobby Digital]

I heard they were driving the pilings in or something like that already.

 

[czsz]

I'd put it over the pike in front of the (former) Tower Records building, then add another lit-crown 30-something story tower in the direction of Kenmore to balance 111 Huntington. That would make for a great view crossing Harvard Bridge or strolling along Mem Drive.

I'd rather have something flattish to continue the Hancock-Pru axis, as the tower originally proposed for Mass Ave & Boylston would have done. 111 Huntington is an aberration in the Back Bay, IMO. It probably would have worked better downtown.

 

[Bobby Digital]

^ bitch bitch bitch... thats all anybody does around here. 111 huntington did win emporis' 2nd or 3rd place best building for that year did it not? some people that know their shit seemed to like it....

SST is gonna be the tallest building built since when? international place in 1992 or something? The design isnt a "box" and im sure people are gonna like it when its done. stop whining all the time and being so damn critical of everything. sounds like a broken record after a while.

and they'll light it everyone knows their gonna. dont get your panties in a bunch.

 

[12345]

^^^^^ exactly everyone on the board is so negative, they think everything is going to be horrible and bitch and moan about it.