Site Visit 8: Adams Square, Roslindale (Oct 26, 2007)

"People interacting with a space makes a place" ~ Herman Herzberger

The space we analyzed this past Friday in Roslindale fits perfectly into the architect Herman Herzberer's quote. Characterized by a great sense of centrality in the neighborhood it becomes a marker in Roslindale. It is a space used largely by the community and it is defined by the circulation and building volumes around it. The buildings surrounding the space are mainly commercial with some institutional buildings as well which emphasizes the idea of community oriented. The constant use of space by the community as a leisure or simply circulation creates the PLACE.

As you can see in the diagrammatic plan, there is a predominance of a central axis (red) that comes from Cummings Hwy and through the central open/green space towards northwest into the community. There are two opposite spaces at both ends of the axis. One towards northwest characterized by smaller scale buildings and more community oriented; the other characterized by the bigger scale boulevard (Cummings Hwy) towards southeast and away from the community.







Cummings Hwy brings a busy traffic circulation to the site as well as Washington street and at the intersection of these two streets there is a creation of a "gateway" defined by the two higher buildings on both corners (The old Power House and Roslindale Community Center) and emphasized by the central axis and the sense of direction.







The open/green space with all its small details emphasizes the sense of center, such as circulation paths and entry ways, vegetation and the circle design in the center. This space is surrounded by a transitional buffer zone of trees that protect and divide the space from the street traffic and noise creating a great space for community gatherings. It is also used by kids in the summer for different activities.

Site Visit 7: Northeastern Campus (Oct 19, 2007)

The site we visited last Friday gives more a feeling of enclosure, compared to the urban rooms seen so far. The sense of enclosing walls given by the buildings around it and the way they are positioned create a really enclosed and secure space that is commonly used by the northeastern students as an exterior living space. During the summer you can see many students reading and studying or just relaxing in the central green space within these buildings. In the winter months the space is less crowded and is mainly used as circulation.









The curvature at the interior corners of the buildings emphasize even more the sense of enclosure within the space. If the space was covered it would resemble a larger scale of a room with 4 entrances.





















As you can see in plan there are 4 gateways that connect the outside area of the city to this "interior" space. The gateways are organized orthogonally within 2 axis with 2 gateways facing each other in each of the ends of the axis. The 2 axis meet in the center emphasizing even more the sense of centralized space. These axis extend outside the analyzed area and are major axis within the university campus.






















The main axis which starts at the main gateway that has the cylindrical shape on top goes all the way to Ruggles station establishing a visual connection from the street across the campus. (Image Above)












Some interesting details found on site.

Site Visit 6: ICA, South Boston/Harbor/East Boston (Oct 12, 2007)

Our site analysis this time was definitely broader. From the Institute of Contemporary Art in South Boston we had to consider the exterior space defined by the ICA's exterior auditorium steps, the cantilever and East Boston on the other side across from the water.

Although the ICA's building itself was not part of the analysis it is a crucial element to understand this space. As you can see in the pictures and sketches the particular shape of the ICA's building closes itself inland and opens up towards the water forcing us to be aware of the other side and forget inland.

The cantilever emphasizes this feeling because it frames and directs you view forward.

The specific location of the ICA, as you can see in plan, also forces our view forward due to the fact that it is surrounded by the fan pier and the pier 4. These two piers also act as directors or fingers towards East Boston.

The space is strongly defined south wise by the ICA that acts as a barrier from the rest of the city. To the west as east as mentioned before the space limits itself with the piers that run in the same direction as the cantilever. The space is also defined by the ground plane that continues with the water and the cantilever that continues with the sky.
Considering all these limits or barriers that define the space, it is very loosely defined north wise. The only limit is East Boston that at the same time for being to far away can prolong the view. In my point of view I think this is the greatest characteristic of this space, being so strongly defined which gives a sense of enclosure but being so open and loose towards the water as if it is expanded through East Boston and the horizon.

This is a great space where you are protected by the sun with the enormous cantilever but still can experience a great summer or winter day (like Saturday). During rainy and windy days the cantilever wont protected you from the cold drizzle and wind coming water.

Site Visit 5: Christian Science Plaza, Huntington Avenue (Oct 5, 2007)

The Christian Science Center Plaza is one of my favorite spaces in Boston since I've come here. It was one of the first I've seen and drew in site visits during my first drawings classes at Wentworth.
















The specific space that we analyzed this last Friday is the one that is distinctly defined by 3 axis, as you can see in the axon, plan and in the following pictures - Massachusetts Avenue; the Massachusetts Horticultural Society building and the Sunday School; and the Christian Science Publishing Society Building.

Massachusetts Avenue is a strong axis in the Western part of the space but what actually encloses the space is the multi-story building with commercial spaces on the first floor and residences on the floors above. Between this structure and the Christian Science Plaza there are very important buffer zones that make the plaza much more relaxing and comfortable by reducing the sound and view out to the street. As you can see in the section below, following Mass. Avenue there is a very wide sidewalk, a row of trees with seating in between and a wide green space.

These spaces build the necessary transition from the noisy and busy street to the landmark quality of the plaza.



On the southern part of the site, the space is defined by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society building that has its main facade facing Mass. Ave but also has a secondary entrance facing the plaza, and the modernistic building of the Sunday School designed by I.M. Pei & Partners in 1970s in which the dome of the Christian Science church is reflected architecturally. The Sunday School building provides a great corner transition between the plaza and the reflecting pool that extends for around 680 feet.















On the northern side of the site the plaza is defined by the Christian Science Center Library built around 1934 in the neoclassical style. Many renovations have taken place in this building and the latest one was the entrance that faces Mass. Ave with a garden, a water wall with a pond, trees and seating area.







Within all these 3 strong axis that form a triangle that you can see in plan, this relaxing and open space is formed to where the main entrance of the Church is facing and acting as this central marker of the site.

Site Visit 4: Back Bay Fens, Fenway (Sept 28, 2007)

The space we visited this past friday is a great example of Frederick Law Olmsted's conception of creating a peaceful natural setting near densely urban centers, as mentioned by the author Cynthia Zaitzevsky on our weekly reading. The development of a space like the Emerald Necklace in the densely urban city that is Boston, or even more specifically this area that we analyzed in the Fenway Parkway, brings an organic, quiet and green authority into the grid and orthogonality of the urban fabric.







The space within the Fenway Parkway is clearly defined by an urban wall that continues the parkway's organic shape in the northern part of the space, on the western and southern parts the many rows of trees and pathways and the river create this defined curved edge to the space we analyzed.






As you can see in the plan, axon and section (click on the image for clear picture), from the edges of the streets and urban fabric that surrounds the parkway all the way to the center of the man-made nature there are many thresholds and buffer zones performed by pathways, trees and vegetation. These buffer zones gradually separate the central space from the urban area and thus it is possible to enjoy quiet and peaceful outings within this space in a way that you can forget you are in the city.
















That was the intension of Olmsted's project that he greatly accomplished not only in the area we analyzed but throughout Boston Park Systems.

Site Visit 3: John Hancock Tower and Trinity Church (Sept 21, 2007)

Copley Square is an area with a variety of styles and many great historic buildings such as the Boston Public Library, the Berkley Building and Trinity Church. The new John Hancock Tower brought this great modern feeling into this place and the green spaces make this area harmonious.











More specifically analyzing the space between John Hancock Tower and Trinity Church this contrast between old and new is quite evident. As you can see in the photographs and the sketches, these two buildings complement each other in their surroundings and is very hard to get a picture of one of them without the other, unless you are only capturing a detail or just a portion of the building.



Architecturally they are very different. Trinity Church designed by Henry Richardson in the French Romanesque style is very geometric in plan and quite complex in detail and texture. On the other hand, across from St. James Avenue, the John Hancock Tower presents a very simple geometric form in plan and its exterior too. The facade completely covered by many rectangular glasses create this simple and consistent elevations very different from Trinity Church.

Although very different in size and shape, these two buildings come together in their extended green spaces. The open green spaces that both buildings have on the side of Clarendon Street work together in creating this big open green space at the intersection.