Winthrop Center | 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

God this thing is an embarrassment. Shorter, squatter, uglier. Even the "great hall" is worse. The shape isn't even the worse part. The facade looks like it was designed by a two year old on LSD. And I don't think making it shorter will help. Then it looks like a big blue and gold blob. Either way were screwed.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

It looks terrible in pictures...maybe it will be better when built. We get plenty of great looking renders and pictures of developments that are disappointments once built. Maybe this will be the opposite.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

It looks terrible in pictures...maybe it will be better when built. We get plenty of great looking renders and pictures of developments that are disappointments once built. Maybe this will be the opposite.

Let's hope so.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Not the greatest looking tower per the rendering, but its size should be impressive.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

What a disappointment. This was supposed to be the blockbuster plot remaining downtown. It's just slowly degenerated with each phase.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

AT BEST, this might turn out looking something like the schizophrenic cousin of the American Copper buildings here in NYC. At worst...

32757675160_29c9105146_b.jpg
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Turgid, made worse by being the tallest tower downtown. Managed to fuck up the great hall aspect as well. Finish the demo on the garage, put in some landscaping and call it a day.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

You reap what you sow when voting for Mary Walsh
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Y'all are Chicken Little's.
The sky is not falling.

I suggest an addition to the drinking game:

Everytime someone complains a building with destroy the skyline take a drink.

but honestly, the materials for this look great, and the massing, for what they were left with after the height reduction, is somewhat interesting. Breaking ithe structure down visually into 3 building forms does help undercut the squatness argument. Is this a groundbreaking design? No. Does it have an adequate design and add some interest and variety to the built environment in Boston? Yes.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

You see, the whole premise of the bidding process was prominent, attractive designs. That's where the real insult is. They sold the city a lie.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

You see, the whole premise of the bidding process was prominent, attractive designs. That's where the real insult is. They sold the city a lie.

Incorrect. Out of the 8 enumerated goals of the development in the RFP, "highquality architecture" is stated only in one of the secondary goals and is one of about 8 things listed in said goal. The city's premise for development of this parcel is centered around development strategy, enhancement of the public realm, and sustainable development. This is explicitly stated. The members of this board saw those words"High quality architecture" and decided that they were the end-all-be-all, and the one thing we were going to harp on and declare most important. Every design document has been transparent in saying that the exterior design of the building is in flux, but we refused to hear it. The concept of the "Great Hall" is what won this proposal the right to the plot of land, and it is still there.

http://www.bostonplans.org/BRAComponents/WebParts/Default.aspx?id=251&projectid=78
The pivotal location of the Property presents the opportunity to create a project of significance with a mix of uses that will further anchor the financial district. Consistent with those stated in the February, 2015 RFI, there are several major goals within this RFP that will define the success of this development opportunity: ( 1) The demonstration of an innovative economic development strategy; (2) The dramatic enhancement of the downtown public realm; and (3) Achievement as a model for sustainable development.

In addition, those responding to this RFP will also be expected to make a compelling argument as to how their proposal will best (1) catalyze new economic growth, including redevelopment and new development in the downtown area and in surrounding business districts, encouraged by an eighteen hour a day vitality; (2) reinforce the physical, social, and economic fabric of the downtown area by replacing an outmoded and decrepit structure with a project that provides highquality architecture and urban design, creates community facilities and public gathering spaces, enhances physical connections and creates an integrated and active urban environment, lays the groundwork for longterm economic benefits for the City in the downtown area, while also extending those benefits into the neighborhoods of the City; (3) build a highly sustainable
development employing the principles and best practices of Sustainability and Green Building
design to maximize the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the project and to minimize project related environmental impacts and energy consumption; (4) create a successful transitoriented development by providing a mix of uses, appropriate parking ratios, a strong pedestrian environment, mobility options (e.g., bicycling), safe and easy access to transit, and urban design that is fitting to the area; and (5) maximize the value of the Property as an economic development asset for the City. The value is based on the parcel’s size, the projected density and uses within the proposed redevelopment, its favorable location within Boston, and its proximity to transportation infrastructure and significant economic engines.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Incorrect. Out of the 8 enumerated goals of the development in the RFP, "highquality architecture" is stated only in one of the secondary goals and is one of about 8 things listed in said goal. The city's premise for development of this parcel is centered around development strategy, enhancement of the public realm, and sustainable development. This is explicitly stated. The members of this board saw those words"High quality architecture" and decided that they were the end-all-be-all, and the one thing we were going to harp on and declare most important. Every design document has been transparent in saying that the exterior design of the building is in flux, but we refused to hear it. The concept of the "Great Hall" is what won this proposal the right to the plot of land, and it is still there.

http://www.bostonplans.org/BRAComponents/WebParts/Default.aspx?id=251&projectid=78

The 160 million dollars or so that Millennium paid is what won this deal. Not the lobby (I refuse to call it in the new design a great hall).
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Y'all are Chicken Little's.
The sky is not falling.

I suggest an addition to the drinking game:

Everytime someone complains a building with destroy the skyline take a drink.

but honestly, the materials for this looks (like cardboard), and the massing, for what they were left with after the height reduction, is (incoherent and inconsistent). Breaking ithe structure down visually into 3 building forms does help undercut the squatness argument. Is this a groundbreaking design? No. Does it have an adequate design (No) and add some (negative) interest and (negative) variety to the built environment in Boston? Yes.

Fixed.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

^ Concur with Kent.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

It looks terrible in pictures...maybe it will be better when built. We get plenty of great looking renders and pictures of developments that are disappointments once built. Maybe this will be the opposite.

Millennium has a good track record. The Millennium tower was even better in person then in renders. That is the best development in recent memory.

One project that looked much better in renders then the finished product, the Pierce.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

This design looks like they took every tired motif of the last 20 years and shoved it all into a blender.

We're really, desperately overdue for some new design trends.
 
Re: 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

The 1 positive is its not blue glass. Honestly the materials have potential there’s just too much clashing. I hope it’s revised again to “flow” better than it does now then it won’t be so bad. Honestly the worst part is the T that destroys all verticality making it look shorter than it is because of its width. They also use the windows that are grouped into multiple floors each that make buildings also look shorter than they are. On this parcel I feel you want it to look it’s height. We’ll see where we go from here hopefully that means being revised.
 

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