Winthrop Center | 115 Winthrop Square | Financial District

Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Thanks for posting the 3d models. They are great to get a sense for the massing. I think all of them fail on the massing front except Accordia, Lendlease, and Transnational. Actually it's changed my thinking on Transnational's proposal. I think the twin towers approach could truly be a winner here.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Seeing the massing confirms that accordia is the right choice here, the others look shoehorned in there. How can they build so close to the existing buildings? You'll be able to see the office workers spreadsheet across the way.

Sidenote there's a south station tower in there.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Seeing the massing confirms that accordia is the right choice here, the others look shoehorned in there. How can they build so close to the existing buildings? You'll be able to see the office workers spreadsheet across the way.

Sidenote there's a south station tower in there.

As well as the old version of Bromfield.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

I love how the combination of setbacks and cantilevers on Accordias proposal play off each other. Overall I like the massing for all of them except Trinity there is something awkward about the top of the tower.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

I have a gone a complete 180 since April 28. I actually really like Transnational now. It looks better than the Time Warner Center which a lot of people here always gravitate to as their benchmark. And Lendlease just looks terrible. I want nothing of it.

Trinity doesn't look so bad either, but I am holding out for Transnational or Accordia. I agree that the Accordia massing wins.

Hym looks good in those 3D models, but it's simply not worth the wait.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Trans National






.

I actually love the 2 tower concept in this location. This is my favorite rendering but I have a bad feeling on the rest of the development.
Besides the Two Tower rendering something is not right with the rest of the development.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Would really like the BCDC to force them to make the twin towers more iconic. The view from the Common will be strange because the two towers kind of mesh together. WTC esque but in 2016.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Would really like the BCDC to force them to make the twin towers more iconic. The view from the Common will be strange because the two towers kind of mesh together. WTC esque but in 2016.

BayVilage -- Simple enough solution -- one goes up about 3 floors and the other drops bout 3 floors creating a distinctive 5 to 6 floor difference is heigh. Then if you want like International Place -- you put differnt tops above the highest floor on each
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

force them to make the twin towers more iconic.

You nailed it.
Concerning the twin tower concept --the towers are just two basic. Two glass squares that separate each other. Nothing unique about the towers.
Even the base looks like garbage.

I do love the concept I just think the towers need to be more unique.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Looking at the 3-D models, some of the buildings appear awfully close to either 75-101 Federal or 100 Summer. What does that do to the price the developer can get per square foot if there is limited view for much of the floors? It would seem to me that the HYM proposal would have the best sightlines throughout all of the floor plates and may be able to achieve higher rents.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Looking at the 3-D models, some of the buildings appear awfully close to either 75-101 Federal or 100 Summer. What does that do to the price the developer can get per square foot if there is limited view for much of the floors? It would seem to me that the HYM proposal would have the best sightlines throughout all of the floor plates and may be able to achieve higher rents.

They would probably put the office space at the bottom and residential space at the top when it is above the adjacent buildings.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

They would probably put the office space at the bottom and residential space at the top when it is above the adjacent buildings.

In the current market the demand for condos with great views outstrips the demand for offices with great views. Offices just don't command as much of a premium for good views compared to centrally located offices with lackluster views.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

In the current market the demand for condos with great views outstrips the demand for offices with great views. Offices just don't command as much of a premium for good views compared to centrally located offices with lackluster views.

Ok....but as I said, the office space would be on the bottom with no views and the residential space is at the top with views.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

None of the office space in those buildings will even have sunlight if built the way they look in the massing...

Also, where r u seeing that TN razes their current building? I thought they were keeping it? Seems to me that it would take time to move people out in order to take it down...not as long as the HYM plan but longer than the rest for sure.

Accordia please...or millennium after a diet
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

All those proposals, except for HYM, are going to feel clustered into that area, both on street level and in the skyline. The twin tower proposal will feel especially shoe-horned into the site.

The HYM proposal does the most good for the city, places the tower in an area that it can stand on it's own, and isn't a bad design in it's own right. I think it will have some really nice slim profiles from certain angles. It would certainly help if there was more of a peak to their roof line, but the design will evolve (as they all will).

I know the time frame is an issue for some, but when we're expecting "iconic" in this location, we can't expect it to happen overnight.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

As many others have said, I've really come around on Accordia. I was turned off by the green at first but after reviewing the written proposal and seeing how it'd play with Millennium and One Bromfield, I'm all for it.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

After having a long hiatus from the board, I'm quite impressed with the flurry of activity and building in Boston.

I have a question about these proposals for the board. I notice that a number of the designs include greenery, whether on terraces or in other design elements such as winter gardens, etc. There was an interesting article in the FT a few weeks ago making the case that such elements are merely window dressing for uninspired architectural design, and that perhaps it's just a trend where cities are trying to improve their overall "green" image. If you notice, it's popping up everywhere: London, Paris, and of course Singapour.

Is there a "greenwashing" happening with some of these proposals as well? I am fond of the Accordia design, particularly the massing elements, but I wonder if this design would lose some of its appeal without the greenery stuck all over it. Knowing Boston's harsh climate, imagine the structure in winter when branches are bare and green fades to brown.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

After having a long hiatus from the board, I'm quite impressed with the flurry of activity and building in Boston.

I have a question about these proposals for the board. I notice that a number of the designs include greenery, whether on terraces or in other design elements such as winter gardens, etc. There was an interesting article in the FT a few weeks ago making the case that such elements are merely window dressing for uninspired architectural design, and that perhaps it's just a trend where cities are trying to improve their overall "green" image. If you notice, it's popping up everywhere: London, Paris, and of course Singapour.

Is there a "greenwashing" happening with some of these proposals as well? I am fond of the Accordia design, particularly the massing elements, but I wonder if this design would lose some of its appeal without the greenery stuck all over it. Knowing Boston's harsh climate, imagine the structure in winter when branches are bare and green fades to brown.


Green 9/12 months is better than grey 12/12 months.

When working in One P.O, I was supremely jealous of the green space on the roof of One Fed.
 
Re: 111 Federal St. | Formerly Trans National Place (Winthrop Square) Part 2

Earlier on I believe someone mentioned that the trees shown on renderings won't actually happen and that some of the smaller plants might, but based on the responses I have seen I don't think people are basing their choice on the presence or absence of greenery.

I know that for myself trees being present has no effect as I try to visualize the proposal without trees because the likelihood of the final design having them is highly unlikely. A winter garden I can see having trees that has been done many times and is reasonable, but terraces with trees just are not realistic as you said.
 

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