The Power 5

[DZH22]

Everybody here obviously knows about Boston's Big 2, the John Hancock Tower and The Pru, but what about the the towers anchoring the main downtown skyline?

It turns out that the top of the plateau is dominated by 5 towers that are all within 24 feet of each other. These are the unsung heroes/villains that make the skyline what it is. I have nicknamed them the Power 5, for lack of anything better.

This is a thread to celebrate them, ridicule them, and everything in between. Please feel free to post pictures, and tell which one is your favorite and why.

Now, without further ado...

#7 One Financial Center, 590 feet, built in 1983

For me, this tower soars more than any other in Boston besides the Hancock. It's 5 uneven sides lend a unique shape, and it's one of the most dominating towers on the south side of the city.

#6 100 Federal Street, aka Bank of America, aka "Pregnant Building" 591 feet, built in 1971

The "grandest" of Boston's brown box towers, this building brings the interesting phenomenon of having a large bulge in its lower midsection, breaking up the monotony but also the "soaring" factor of the building as well. Still a powerful presence from most angles of the skyline.

#5 1 International Place, 600 feet, built in 1987

While somewhat seen as a controversial, love it or hate it building due to its palladian window scheme, still has a commanding presence with it's slightly smaller sister 2 International place, especially from the water. This is the last 600 footer built in Boston, and a fairly unique design as its round shape is broken up by a straight vertical wall and a "slice" that is missing.

#4 One Boston Place, 601 feet, built in 1970

Large, black, evil goth-like building that dominates the skyline from the north. The box on top of it especially stands out as a silhouette. Kind of reminds me of Chicago's John Hancock Building, only Boston-sized and modified.

#3 Federal Reserve, 614 feet, built in 1977

Cold, monolithic, and unmistakably unique, the Federal Reserve is surprisingly Boston's 3rd tallest building. While the entire compound for the most part gives a big middle finger to street level activity, the plaza in front of the tower has become surprisingly more popular as an extension of the greenway. The "wings" on the building are what make is so (deceptively) tall, and its presence from the South is unmatched, highlighted in films such as The Departed among others.

Please share your opinions, pictures, etc on downtown's most dominating towers!

 

[DZH22]

By the way, I voted for the Federal Reserve as my favorite. It is very intimidating from street level, and ranked purely on its sculptural form probably my 3rd favorite building in the city behind the JHT and the Custom House.

 

[Joe_Schmoe]

The Federal Reserve is great, International Place would be quite good if it wasn't for the Palladian windows travesty, the other ones I really despise, especially the Death Star aka One Boston Place.

 

[unterbau]

If any building is begging for a re-cladding, it's one financial. looks like a forty story suburban office building

 

[briv]

Federal Reserve. No contest.

 

[Corey]

I've always liked One Boston Place for some reason. If it was being proposed to be built today, I wouldn't like it but since it's there it has grown on me.

I would say the same for the Federal Reserve. It's quite a landmark.

Obviously the Boston skyline would be a tad different if any of these were missing, but I will vote for One International Place despite the palladian windows. It's scale and tone works great right behind Rowe's Wharf from the waterfront. It wouldn't work on it's own but for as long as I've been alive it's been part of the skyline and I couldn't imagine something being more fitting there.

 

[Ron Newman]

I hated Int'l Place when it first went up, but now like it. Tastes change.

I'm still not a fan of the Federal Reserve. A wasteful use of a large block and not even a bit friendly to the street. I miss the old Federal Reserve on Milk Street.

 

[kz1000ps]

Going over the list, I found it interesting how hard it was for me to summon much of any strong feelings towards ANY of these towers... none are terribly bad, but none terribly good either.

The Federal Reserve and One Boston Place are the only ones, IMO, that have intellectual intregrity about their designs, but the Fed loses serious points for its anti-urban stance (but what a striking stance it is!).

So I guess the winner for me is 1BP:

-- it's interesting looking.. I'd call it "grotesque gothic"
-- it has a small footprint (at least for an office tower)
-- it has retail all around its base (empty though it may be)
-- and it has a wraparound plaza that provides open space in an area that sorely needs it

As for the others...

International Place's design is a bit much -- I can't tell whether it's trying to be high art or if it's thumbing its nose at the concept. I guess that's Philip Johnson for ya, but the effect falls flat on me. Kudos, however, towards its ground level amenities -- the winter garden is a very cool space.

The "Fin," aka 1 Financial Center, and 100 Federal are both corporate blandiecture that have little to nothing in the way of redeeming features, and offer even less to the public. I fart in their general direction.

 

[Suffolk 83]

One Boston place is one of the ugliest buildings I've ever seen.

 

[kz1000ps]

Yes, yes it most certainly is. But as far as that style of big bad black boxes goes, I'd put it up there as one of the best, along with the John Hancock and NYC's One Liberty Plaza. Back in the days when Cor-ten was hip...

 

[Justin7]

I wouldn't mind 1BP if not for the block on top. If they would build that thing out to just a 15 foot setback I think the building would look acceptable. I hate that damn block with intensity.

Something about the Fed makes me think it's going to fall over onto me. I like the tower, but the complex as a while is a disaster.

 

[DZH22]

^^ I agree about the Fed. Sometimes I picture it growing teeth and just leaning down and gobbling up a bunch of passing pedestrians.

I'm kind of surprised that 1 Financial doesn't get any love at all, although if I put a poll for "which one do you like the LEAST" it probably wouldn't be winning that one either. I guess it's just decidedly too average! I really like the feeling of walking out of the South Station T stop and looking straight up at 1 Financial looming on one side and the Federal Reserve on the other. I guess I just like the Fed a little bit better...

 

[JSic]

I voted 1 International Place. Really impressive building and complex, and I honestly dont mind the windows.

Standing below this tower, it gives the impression of being taller than 600'. And when viewed from inside the financial district, the scale of International Place as a whole seems immense, even Manhattanish. I like Manhattanish.

I rank 'em:

1.) International Place
2.) Federal Reserve
3.) 1 Boston Place
4.) Pregnant Building
5.) 1 Financial Center

 

[pelhamhall]

Huh?

What is this "Power Five" thing? This is the power ranking:


1) The John Hancock Tower
2) Everyone else


One Boston Place? Really???? Yuck.

 

[pelhamhall]

OOOOOOOOPS. I didn't read the first post. Sorry.

Of the five remaining I'll always love the Fed, even though it's ridiculous!

 

[DZH22]

Just a couple more of what I consider to be my favorite of these buildings

 

[DZH22]

An ode to 1 Financial:

 

[DZH22]

An ode to the Federal Reserve, my favorite angry tower in the world (3rd fav skyscraper in Boston behind JHT and Custom House)

and a bit of the 1-2 punch looming over South Station

 

[datadyne007]

I wasn't around for this original poll, but I have always absolutely loved the Federal Reserve tower. Its style is just incredible, especially for its time. IMHO, it actually looks more like a 90s/early 2000s tower than it does a tower from 1977. It's definitely inspired by Kahn's principles of defining "servant" spaces and the spaces they serve as well. There is no guessing where elevators, stairwells, and MEP chases are in this building.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

I wasn't around for this original poll, but I have always absolutely loved the Federal Reserve tower. Its style is just incredible, especially for its time. IMHO, it actually looks more like a 90s/early 2000s tower than it does a tower from 1977. It's definitely inspired by Kahn's principles of defining "servant" spaces and the spaces they serve as well. There is no guessing where elevators, stairwells, and MEP chases are in this building.

Wow, if it wasn't for this post, I would have continued to assume the Boston FED was built in the 90s.

I don't think it's exactly "beautiful", but there is something about it that just gives it a really impressive look. The materials really make it, don't think you could pull it off with anything else. Ground level sucks though, but hey, what federal building DOESN'T suck around the ground level these days?