The Last Empty Lot | 161 Commonwealth Ave | Back Bay

Yeah, it looks like it's always been there - save for the very visible expansion joints (but what are ya gonna do?)
 
Wow, this is coming out great. Great attention for historical context.
 
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This building proves there is no excuse for shitty "contextual" hack jobs which seem to proliferate around here.

Also that solarium next door gives me such a boner.
 
Well, unless you take 'economically viable' as an excuse.*

I doubt this was built on spec.


*I generally don't. I think it mostly used as an excuse to squeeze every last drop of profit out of a project.
 
This also proves that ADA doesn't have to mean a long ugly exterior ramp that separates the building from the street. Looks like they've managed just fine here to locate the entrance at street grade.
 
vanshnookenraggen said:
This building proves there is no excuse for shitty "contextual" hack jobs which seem to proliferate around here.

Also that solarium next door gives me such a boner.
Click to expand...

Agreed. And if you want a record-breaking boner, I'd suggest you check out the Ralph Lauren/Polo flagship in Manhattan at Madison and, I think, 72nd. We've been led by the academics, architects and developers for so long to think that the only thing we can afford these days is some pre-fab concrete or alucobond, and seeing the Polo flagship, it's absolutely impossible to think that it was built in the last 2 years.
 
my amateur opinion: simple design elements, commonly used in the past, such as recessing the windows in a few inches from the facade, make a huge difference. The facade appears to have some texture and is more visually interesting.
 
itchy said:
Agreed. And if you want a record-breaking boner, I'd suggest you check out the Ralph Lauren/Polo flagship in Manhattan at Madison and, I think, 72nd. We've been led by the academics, architects and developers for so long to think that the only thing we can afford these days is some pre-fab concrete or alucobond, and seeing the Polo flagship, it's absolutely impossible to think that it was built in the last 2 years.
Click to expand...

Before
http://g.co/maps/z4fgs

After
http://g.co/maps/2sqst
 
Yup that Ralph Lauren store is out of sight. But it also makes me think this one should have a wee bit more detail in its facade. The materials are good, and, like commuter guy pointed out, it has that criminally neglected quality of DEPTH to its facade, but in person it all feels a bit humdrum, like a going-through-the-motions.

But as they say, "beggars can't be choosers."
 
Yea I agree...it's elegant and great considering what was there before but it still has a look of cheap imitation to it...joints are too prominent and the stone too smooth and even

didnt someone in a thread post all of the new faux 2nd empire stuff being built around paris?

it reminds me of that...though what would this be Italian?
 
I wonder what the top (recessed) floor will be covered in.......More limestone? Red brick? Alucobond??
 
You really can't complain about this.

You can only wish they were building 1,000 of these in the Seaport instead of what's there now.
 
Looks like somewhere rich people would live
 
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