While this thread is about Boston, I still wanted to share my pictures of WTC4 so that everyone has a reference to your example:
The Merits of Glass Curtain Walls
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While this thread is about Boston, I still wanted to share my pictures of WTC4 so that everyone has a reference to your example:
whighlander
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
Van -- I'm not sure what you mean by " only modern fully glass curtain wall "
But the Moakley Courthouse has a fairly impressive curved glass furtain wall -- both from the outside and also from the public hallways inside
Van -- I'm not sure what you mean by " only modern fully glass curtain wall "
But the Moakley Courthouse has a fairly impressive curved glass furtain wall -- both from the outside and also from the public hallways inside
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
I meant the only contemporary building which uses glass curtain wall for the majority of the facade. Basically boring glass boxes.
I meant the only contemporary building which uses glass curtain wall for the majority of the facade. Basically boring glass boxes.
Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
Is the JHT just too old to be part of this discussion? I would put JHT >>>> 4 WTC easily. 4 WTC has wonderful glass, but the shape is a bit clunkier and it just doesn't have that perfect vertical presence of JHT. Would probably be better if it didn't have those black lines at the setback.
Is the JHT just too old to be part of this discussion? I would put JHT >>>> 4 WTC easily. 4 WTC has wonderful glass, but the shape is a bit clunkier and it just doesn't have that perfect vertical presence of JHT. Would probably be better if it didn't have those black lines at the setback.
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
The glass wall on the JHT is different in that it is designed to stand out. 4 WTC melts into the sky. I love the JHT more but that has to do with the shape rather than the glass.
/END TANGENT
The glass wall on the JHT is different in that it is designed to stand out. 4 WTC melts into the sky. I love the JHT more but that has to do with the shape rather than the glass.
/END TANGENT
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
Sorry to continue this, but huh?? There's a whole thread on here of the Hancock melting into the sky pretty much everyday.
Sorry to continue this, but huh?? There's a whole thread on here of the Hancock melting into the sky pretty much everyday.
J
JoeBoston1
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
Glass is a mercurial material that we've only started to master for use in buildings. I mean in a Louis Kahn metaphorical sense.
WTC4 puts glass to use to represent ethereal immateriality: Heaven. This is perhaps what is eliciting your "feelings." It is the only proper memorial at that site.
John Hancock Tower uses glass differently. From faraway, it acts as a mirror, representing Sky. Close in, it represents Earth. As you approach it, you begin to notice that every sixth window has a thicker mullion, which forces you to notice its Structure. It becomes Brick-Like. A solid monolith rising from the brick ground that solidifies the reputation of an insurance company.
101 Seaport uses glass to represent the Sea. It is our Water Cube. The incongruity of the cubic form represents a fish out of water, ocean on land.
The Watefront must be nautical in every way, its buildings, its ground plan, its content, etc. (BRA has done a good job of this, I hope they continue) This imbues luxury, and it connects the city to the to the water to resolve the failures of the Greenway.
The primary focus of architectural critics should instead be on the second act of the Seaport: to build human-scale retail space in the middle of it, much like the Prudential center.
If this is not done, the Seaport will stench of an irreversible cultural death. Looking at the street-scape surrounding the Vertex buildings, you watch the Seaport begin to wither and die.
Glass is a mercurial material that we've only started to master for use in buildings. I mean in a Louis Kahn metaphorical sense.
WTC4 puts glass to use to represent ethereal immateriality: Heaven. This is perhaps what is eliciting your "feelings." It is the only proper memorial at that site.
John Hancock Tower uses glass differently. From faraway, it acts as a mirror, representing Sky. Close in, it represents Earth. As you approach it, you begin to notice that every sixth window has a thicker mullion, which forces you to notice its Structure. It becomes Brick-Like. A solid monolith rising from the brick ground that solidifies the reputation of an insurance company.
101 Seaport uses glass to represent the Sea. It is our Water Cube. The incongruity of the cubic form represents a fish out of water, ocean on land.
The Watefront must be nautical in every way, its buildings, its ground plan, its content, etc. (BRA has done a good job of this, I hope they continue) This imbues luxury, and it connects the city to the to the water to resolve the failures of the Greenway.
The primary focus of architectural critics should instead be on the second act of the Seaport: to build human-scale retail space in the middle of it, much like the Prudential center.
If this is not done, the Seaport will stench of an irreversible cultural death. Looking at the street-scape surrounding the Vertex buildings, you watch the Seaport begin to wither and die.
whighlander
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Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
Van -- Cobb designed both the JHT and the Moakley's Sea Wall to mirror the surroundings and both do the job spectacularly
Of course both had help:
The Moakley Glass Sea Wall -- particularly from across the Fort Point Channel reflects the ever-changing harbor with its activities as a background with a foreground of the Court House Park. Unfortunately, its landside view from a pedestrian emerging from Court House Station on the Silver Line is worse than just mundane -- it just looks like a bunker. Some of that was the less than inspiring surroundings at the time of its design, but a lot of it is that there are a lot of internal, non-public Court House functions that don't want to be near to large windows and Cobb just put those on the landside of the building.
The JHT -- offers the best of all worlds as because of the the parallelogram floor plate, the setting of the building at an angle to the streets and the wide glass mirror of the neighborhood on the long sides. But even the short side view from Copley Square near to Trinity looking toward the church works well as the noted narrow mirror wall frames a reflected view of Richardson's incomparable masterpiece of Trinity. Other good views include:
Since Cobb is involved in the Four Seasons Tower it will be interesting to see how he takes advantage of its neighborhood
PS: back to the original matter -- what about 601 Congress Street -- aka John Hanckock 4
-- doesn't have much around it so far to form interesting reflections
Van -- Cobb designed both the JHT and the Moakley's Sea Wall to mirror the surroundings and both do the job spectacularly
Of course both had help:
The Moakley Glass Sea Wall -- particularly from across the Fort Point Channel reflects the ever-changing harbor with its activities as a background with a foreground of the Court House Park. Unfortunately, its landside view from a pedestrian emerging from Court House Station on the Silver Line is worse than just mundane -- it just looks like a bunker. Some of that was the less than inspiring surroundings at the time of its design, but a lot of it is that there are a lot of internal, non-public Court House functions that don't want to be near to large windows and Cobb just put those on the landside of the building.
The JHT -- offers the best of all worlds as because of the the parallelogram floor plate, the setting of the building at an angle to the streets and the wide glass mirror of the neighborhood on the long sides. But even the short side view from Copley Square near to Trinity looking toward the church works well as the noted narrow mirror wall frames a reflected view of Richardson's incomparable masterpiece of Trinity. Other good views include:
- the Skywalk of the Pru where of course you can't see the Pru.
- Skywalk of the Pru at dusk catching the sunset and lights coming on
- from the plaza next to 500 Boylston looking toward Trinity where you can see the Old Hancock with the ever changing weather beacon reflected against the background of the sky's vicissitudes.
- Hancock 3 reflecting Hancock 2 and 1
- from the Public Garden nice views of the Back Bay and at certain angles you might see the reflection of the Old Hancock with the occasional championship pennant flying from its top.
- across the Charles in front of MIT-- with the seasons and the weather as a backdrop for the Back Bay neighborhood.
Since Cobb is involved in the Four Seasons Tower it will be interesting to see how he takes advantage of its neighborhood
PS: back to the original matter -- what about 601 Congress Street -- aka John Hanckock 4
Re: 101 Seaport Blvd (PwC) | Parcel L1@Seaport Sq. | Seaport
JHT was certainly melting into the sky around 3:45 today from the Fells. I have no idea what you're talking about.
JHT was certainly melting into the sky around 3:45 today from the Fells. I have no idea what you're talking about.