South Station Tower | South Station Air Rights | Downtown

Beton Brut said:
Kudos on your analysis, stick.

To clarify, my complaint here isn't about the form or silhouette of the tower, but the lack of expression on the facade. The smooth reflective glass is utterly featureless, and that needn't be the case. Given the depth and variation of South Station's facade, this tower looks "cheap" even if it isn't...
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I think adding some stone like this building going up in Jersey City would help

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The facade will look alot better in real life because it will reflect the surrounding city. The rendering is misleading because it basically looks like blue plastic.

I think a more detailed glass facade would look good, maybe like PPG Place in Pittsburgh
 
stick n move said:
I wasn't exactly sure how to put this into words so I color coded it.
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Thanks for the analysis. I appreciate the attempt to mirror the symmetry of South Station, but I'm of the opinion that when it comes to this type of project a clean break is best. Would personally much prefer something asymmetrical with much clearer glass, or something darker and as suggested --

Beton Brut said:
I'd suggest prominent (and preferably dark) metal mullions tracing up the tower's surface. Something to lead the eye upward, to give it presence.
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-- absolutely.
 
When taking into account what this things ACTUALLY going to look like in real life when built I think it looks good.

Millions of people are going to see this going north on 93. The setbacks, thin side, and angled face I think looks really good.



Next up the millions of people who use South Station will see this, and also from the vicinity of the greenway.



And finally together within the skyline. Make up your opinion of the tower based on these 3 angles. The rest are cool to look at, and some are unflattering, but dont matter within the reality of what peoples real life interactions with the tower will be.




Another popular spot will be people looking up and seeing this same angle but up close from the Fan Pier waterfront in front of the courthouse and 22 Liberty. Im just trying to save people from the future backtracking of when it doesnt ever look like the tobasco bottle drone shot. Its not incredible... but its not an awkward turd either like that shot makes it seem. Not everyone has to like it, but if you dont at least base it off this. Personally Im excited to see some nice setbacks on a prominent Boston office tower for a change.
 
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I could not give less than half a shit for what the people on 93 will see, nor the people cruising by on their yacht
 
That skyline view is not only seem from on the water... Just like the view from 93 is not only seen from the highway. Millions more people will also see the skyline shot from Logan airport and also heading west on 1A from Logan. Theres also millions of people who live/visit the state and fly. Then also see that view from East Boston waterfront and Piers park. Ive never sailed through the harbor, but Iv seen that skyline view 100 times... Also the “93 view” means by proximity, Dot ave and Dorchester. Still, not caring about the highway view itself is your opinion and thats all fine and well, but whether you care or not doesnt change the fact that this is what millions of people will see.

That being said those perspectives are obviously not strictly locked into a boat or car... I know what your saying, but I never implied to make the “good sides” of a tower face highways. Im saying that from the renders we have so far, those 3 perspectives are what the majority of ppl will see because of where on the skyline the tower is located. So the 93 view means dot ave/south of the city, the skyline is Logan/Piers park/1A, and the front face is the greenway/South Station entrance. You wont see it from the north and barely from the common if at all. So those 3 angles hit the 3 big sightlines. Probably the only prominent perspective thats missing is from the South End and... the pike.
 
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The thing with this project is that it will be just about impossible to approach the tower from street level. Because it's an air rights development over the South Station tracks, it pretty much won't have a ground floor. So while I usually focus on a project's quality from the street level and care less about the stuff hundreds of feet above ground, the air rights nature of this project makes the "view from a distance" relatively more important.
 
Agreed on the narrow point (will the future phases add retail along the SS streetwall?), but the ground floor of the tower will literally double the capacity of the cheapest, most widely accessible means of intercity transport.
 
JumboBuc said:
The thing with this project is that it will be just about impossible to approach the tower from street level. Because it's an air rights development over the South Station tracks, it pretty much won't have a ground floor. So while I usually focus on a project's quality from the street level and care less about the stuff hundreds of feet above ground, the air rights nature of this project makes the "view from a distance" relatively more important.
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The millions of people at South Station/Greenway is pretty prominent, but yea

stick n move said:
from the renders we have so far, those 3 perspectives are what the majority of ppl will see because of where on the skyline the tower is located. So the 93 view means dot ave/south of the city, the skyline is Logan/Piers park/1A, and the front face is the greenway/South Station entrance. You wont see it from the north and barely from the common if at all. So those 3 angles hit the 3 big sightlines. Probably the only prominent perspective thats missing is from the South End and... the pike.
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JumboBuc said:
The thing with this project is that it will be just about impossible to approach the tower from street level. Because it's an air rights development over the South Station tracks, it pretty much won't have a ground floor. So while I usually focus on a project's quality from the street level and care less about the stuff hundreds of feet above ground, the air rights nature of this project makes the "view from a distance" relatively more important.
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Not 100% sure, this view will drastically change.

https://goo.gl/maps/UBAsty35daq

Do we know what it will look like?


The bus terminal isnt horrible but it could be better

https://goo.gl/maps/MNhHky5NPrS2
 
Again an aerial shot... but the top render shows the first glass wall, so you can get the general idea of what the rest will be like when looking at the last render. That first render with the glass cube and masonry panels on the right of the glass matches the bottom render.
 
Im confused, isnt the shorter building supposed to be here on the right? Directly above the blank stone wall

32477644677_e77d62fcf7_b.jpg
 
jass said:
Im confused, isnt the shorter building supposed to be here on the right? Directly above the blank stone wall

32477644677_e77d62fcf7_b.jpg
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Yes, that is correct. They may have only rendered the first phase. (This is still being phased out, correct?)

Or perhaps Pelli is not the architect of the other two mid-rises?
 
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stick n move said:
And this shows the rest
1689984747.jpeg
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One thing I wonder about is the train station platform level experience. I think the archway between the platforms and head house is beautiful, and the new bus depot lobby looks spectacular, but it looks like we can say goodbye to any natural light down by the tracks. Has anybody seen a render for that area?
 
HenryAlan said:
One thing I wonder about is the train station platform level experience. I think the archway between the platforms and head house is beautiful, and the new bus depot lobby looks spectacular, but it looks like we can say goodbye to any natural light down by the tracks. Has anybody seen a render for that area?
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Do you often spend time on the tracks soaking up the natural sunlight? ;)
 
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