The Hub on Causeway (née TD Garden Towers) | 80 Causeway Street | West End

Justin7 said:
^ Emphasis mine. This may be where the disconnect is. I understand your desire for sculpture and authenticity, but I think for many people great urbanism is a large part of what makes great architecture....
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Took the words right out of my mouth, Justin.

I don't understand why the two concepts would be mutually exclusive.

A beautiful piece of urban architecture need not be out of context to its surroundings. In fact it is enhanced if it compliments its environs...... and vice-versa.

A vibrant city is a SOCIAL organism.

"Look at me" architecture works best at highway truck stops and Dubai.
 
Beton Brut said:
I agree, it is good urbanism, and will be a catalyst for activity in the entire district. But I think we can all agree, great urbanism and great architecture are two very different things.
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I'm willing to believe that BB may have meant, "...good urbanism and good architecture are distinct concepts, though they are deeply intermingled with eachother...."

Which is not the same thing as saying that "good urbanism is necessary but not sufficient for good architecture", ....although he might have meant that as well.

However, I imagine we can all agree that, "good architecture is neither necessary not sufficient for good urbanism".

...All seems pretty straightforward to me...
 
CSTH said:
"(G)ood architecture is neither necessary not sufficient for good urbanism."
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Yes! An enriching urban environment can exist in the complete absence of any coherent design agenda -- a favorite example is Davis Square.

CSTH said:
"(G)ood urbanism and good architecture are distinct concepts, though they are deeply intermingled with eachother."
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There are intrinsic links between how things look, and how they are understood, adopted, used, and reused. This axiom reaches far beyond the world of architecture and urbanism. My only caveat is that the "deep intermingling" you suggest is a best case scenario; we all might be happier if it was a cultural mandate. As you astutely suggest below:

CSTH said:
"(G)ood urbanism is necessary but not sufficient for good architecture."
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There are pathbreaking works of architecture in Boston that are outrageous urbanistic failures -- need I name them? Today, high design in an urban setting must be seen through Jane Jacobs' microscope.
 
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Looking in The Omni thread this hit me... If you think about it, something along the lines of The Omni is definitely what probably would have been built in place of the Hub on Causeway, if they had not gone for the industrial look. I think this design works on the smaller plot in the Seaport also surrounded by glass, but built on the scale of the the old Garden lot and in the Bulfinch Triangle it would not have fit at all IMO. A couple precast and glass towers on top of a 2 part glass podium is absolutely something that we could have gotten here instead if they had gone modern glass. Although its not "perfect" I think the hub goes much better with the area it is in.

Omni-Hotel-Seaport-District-Boston-Development-The-Davis-Companies-Massport-Summer-Street-Boston-Convention-Exhibition-Center.jpg
 
From 2/16. It feels pretty damn big from up close. Great view walking down Canal Street. I'm glad the office tower is going slightly taller, even if it does look like it was designed by a 2nd grader using 90's technology.

IMG_9529 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_9532 by David Z, on Flickr

IMG_9536 by David Z, on Flickr
 
Thanks, guys, for the great pics this morning! I never imagined the impact that the Hub would have on the skyline until now. For some reason I was focused on the podium and not so much the residential until now, seeing it in context with the rest of the city, and from different angles and viewpoints I never got the sense of height from any of the renderings, unlike the Bulfinch Crossing renderings, which shows it's impact on the skyline. From bottom to top (I have high hopes for the office building), this project is a winner.
 
Combined with the growing residential tower at GCG, the view from City Hall Plaza is changing for the better. I'm working remotely today and in Western MA tomorrow, but I'll try to get a shot on Friday if nobody does before then.
 
I went by that govt center view the other day— it will look quite significant right there (in a good way). I think it will really close in government center make it feel more like a city. It will be great when the JFK building is gone and they can rebuild both big and it a way that activates that whole side with cafe fronts and maybe some restaurants with expansive patio seating
 
choo said:
I went by that govt center view the other day— it will look quite significant right there (in a good way). I think it will really close in government center make it feel more like a city. It will be great when the JFK building is gone and they can rebuild both big and it a way that activates that whole side with cafe fronts and maybe some restaurants with expansive patio seating
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Are there talks of getting rid of it or is this a dream?
 
^^i doubt the towers ever go, but the low-rises are valuable land for future towers.

i assume any possible deal with the Feds would take a long time. i assume you have to build them something they'd be open to swapping or leasing? What parcel/s are the best candidates? Then, maybe it's possible the towers are recladded for LEED certification.


02124,

Thank you! Nice preview of the ______ skyline rising from Cambridge St!!

choo said:
I think it will really close in government center make it feel more like a city. It will be great when the JFK building is gone and they can rebuild both big and it a way that activates that whole side with cafe fronts and maybe some restaurants with expansive patio seating.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCptjDrd8SU
 
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They should get rid of the lowrise portion of the JFK and put it up for development. Then build a new more compact lowrise portion at the base, surrounding the towers and fronting the street, building a streetwall. Then, reclad the towers (glass?) to make them look better (it’d be hard to make them worse.) That would be my plan.
 
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