Thanks for a thoughtful and positive article about an important building. A wonderful design in a style that is obviously out of favor with the contemporary politicians and other architectural punters who seem to prefer cookie cutter architecture like that found in office parks. None of the critics have the vision of Mayor Collin's and the leadership group that brought the building to Boston. Power washing and restoring a fresh concrete look might help. The brick park around the building badly needs to be re-done.
Someday, when Boston is again blessed with an enlightened and forward thinking mayor, perhaps a dramatic 21st century re-imagining of Kallman and McKinnell's 'awesome' framework will realize CH's full potential as an urban space and a public building. We can only hope that the current Mayor's mis-guided scheming for a move of city hall to South Boston is indeed dead.
I agree with the gist of realtor01432's earlier comments. Although I'm not an architect, I don't find City Hall ugly. I think its intrinsic "beauty" might be more apparent, though, if the surrounding windswept plaza were redone.
Got it. Government area with a lot of useless space inside as well as out, wasting energy, difficult for citizens to navigate, abhoring simplicity in favor of unnecessary complexity: perfect image for Boston City Hall.
Appreciate the article though. When I moved here in 1971, I too asked "What is that ugly building?" and was told it was designed by I.M. Pei; I've blamed him for it all these years, how unfair.
Nothing agaisnt modernism, love the Stata Center at MIT and the "Inside-out" modern art museum in Paris; but isn't modernism supposed to have something to do with functionalism? Or am I thinking of Frank Lloyd Wright?
great & interesting piece. This moment in Boston history, when it was on the precipice of becoming a Detroit, but somehow pulled itself back from the brink, is a fascinating one. Lots of great quotes & so cool to hear so much from the original architects.
I'm a fan of this type of architecture - though the city hall itself doesn't float my boat for whatever reason ... I am however a fan of the similar-era Government Service Center a few blocks west - the sprawler with the waffled concrete & slightly psychedelic exterior winding staircase.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Service_Center_(Boston)
chrismarstall, great link. Everyone who cares what city hall is and could be should follow that link and read paragraph 5 in the History section. Significant restoration and repair is what city hall needs now, with particular attention paid to its efficiency, its environmental hazards and what it's like to work there (or even just spend more than 2 hours there).
City hall looms over your head like a concrete thunder cloud. I have no idea how or why an architect would see this as inspiring democracy. If it were made of white, not gray, material it might look like a slice of heaven. As it is, it says, "I will crush you."
Comments
Thanks for a thoughtful and positive article about an important building. A wonderful design in a style that is obviously out of favor with the contemporary politicians and other architectural punters who seem to prefer cookie cutter architecture like that found in office parks. None of the critics have the vision of Mayor Collin's and the leadership group that brought the building to Boston. Power washing and restoring a fresh concrete look might help. The brick park around the building badly needs to be re-done.
Someday, when Boston is again blessed with an enlightened and forward thinking mayor, perhaps a dramatic 21st century re-imagining of Kallman and McKinnell's 'awesome' framework will realize CH's full potential as an urban space and a public building. We can only hope that the current Mayor's mis-guided scheming for a move of city hall to South Boston is indeed dead.
I agree with the gist of realtor01432's earlier comments. Although I'm not an architect, I don't find City Hall ugly. I think its intrinsic "beauty" might be more apparent, though, if the surrounding windswept plaza were redone.
Got it. Government area with a lot of useless space inside as well as out, wasting energy, difficult for citizens to navigate, abhoring simplicity in favor of unnecessary complexity: perfect image for Boston City Hall. Appreciate the article though. When I moved here in 1971, I too asked "What is that ugly building?" and was told it was designed by I.M. Pei; I've blamed him for it all these years, how unfair. Nothing agaisnt modernism, love the Stata Center at MIT and the "Inside-out" modern art museum in Paris; but isn't modernism supposed to have something to do with functionalism? Or am I thinking of Frank Lloyd Wright?
great & interesting piece. This moment in Boston history, when it was on the precipice of becoming a Detroit, but somehow pulled itself back from the brink, is a fascinating one. Lots of great quotes & so cool to hear so much from the original architects. I'm a fan of this type of architecture - though the city hall itself doesn't float my boat for whatever reason ... I am however a fan of the similar-era Government Service Center a few blocks west - the sprawler with the waffled concrete & slightly psychedelic exterior winding staircase. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Service_Center_(Boston)
chrismarstall, great link. Everyone who cares what city hall is and could be should follow that link and read paragraph 5 in the History section. Significant restoration and repair is what city hall needs now, with particular attention paid to its efficiency, its environmental hazards and what it's like to work there (or even just spend more than 2 hours there).
City hall looms over your head like a concrete thunder cloud. I have no idea how or why an architect would see this as inspiring democracy. If it were made of white, not gray, material it might look like a slice of heaven. As it is, it says, "I will crush you."