Regional Architecture Forum: Response to Natalia

Natalia,

Check out this book: “Massachusetts: Off the Beaten Path. A Guide to Unique Places” by Patricia Mandell.

I am from the Boston area too. I live in Newton, but frequent Boston and the neighboring towns. Each town in such a small radius has it’s own character. Boston does have a lot of brick and is known for the brown stones in the South End and Back Bay. The brown stone buildings were mainly built only 100 years ago. I have to say that I do think these buildings and older historical landmarks (like John Adams house) are sustainable. This is because they do not require elevators like so many modern buildings in the city do and it is much cheaper to re-insulate and install newer windows, than it is to knock them down and build new ones. If we loose the historic buildings and brown stone architecture, we loose not only so much of Boston and it’s own uniqueness, but also so much of history. I think these are valuable to preserve and can become LEED certified and more sustainable buildings.

There is a lot of very modern architecture mixed in to the historic buildings. Most of them do not address the “street-scape” (meaning they are on angles to the street or sidewalks) where people walk. West End and Longwood Medical Area are just “super-blocks” that no one on foot or bicycle can safely access. Boston City Hall is called “brutilist” architecture…the plaza itself is not even to human scale…take a look: http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/kallmann/kallmann.html

Compare it to the Old City Hall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debbeling1/6440990579/

Another example is Mokely Federal Couthouse, that has one front door and no windows on the ground level. From far away, it does not look so hideous, but this is not to human scale up close.

From this aerial photo you can see how there is no reason for it to be to human scale because it is surrounded by a pitiful enormous parking lot…that could be designed for other public space and use!

The Darth Vadar Building, as you can imagine, also does not fit in:

If you want to see some neat historical architecture, check out Charles Bulfinch: http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Charles_Bulfinch.html

I found this great resource to look up Modern, Leed Certified Projects in the US: http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/CertifiedProjectList.aspx. Some are gorgeous! Here is an example of one in Boston:

ADD 311 Office Project:

Here is a list of 4 in Newton: http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/Project/CertifiedProjectList.aspx

The Chapman Office has earned Platinum:

Regional Architecture: Newton MA

I live in Newton MA, 10 miles from the dead center of Boston. I responded to Natalia’s post and provided some images and resources you all should check out! I am just adding some more information here. In Newton, there is a lot of brick-tudor and ENORMOUS Victorian homes. Talk about CO2 footprint…most of the people living in these homes consist of 2.7 people. http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/planning/demog.htm

http://www.city-data.com/city/Newton-Massachusetts.html

There are 85,000 people in Newton with 31,201 houses occupied. Therefor, 2.7 people on average occupy each house.  It is mainly suburban, single residency. However, there are some areas of multi-residence and mixed use. This is a great Zoning map: http://www.newtonma.gov/MIS/GIS/Maps/ZoningMap.pdf.  Newton is very unique with 14 villages: http://www.newtonma.gov/MIS/GIS/Maps/Villages.htm. I grew up in rural CT, so living in Newton is like a city to me. Some people call Newton a city, not a town. We have a “City Hall.” From our front door I can walk less than ½ a mile to the bank, the hardware store, the pastry shop, the fish market, the Italian sausage and pasta shop, the hairdresser, a few good restaurants and bars, an auto shop, the post office, a dry-cleaners, the list goes on and on! We live in Nonantum. The overall village walk score is 72: http://www.walkscore.com/score/nonantum-ma. Our street location rating is higher at 85: http://www.walkscore.com/score/faxon-st-nonantum-ma. Here is an image of mixed use, which lines Watertown Street through Nonantum:

 (We are literally 200 yrds from the entrance to this place, Yum!)

There are some wonderful green spaces within walking distance  from our front door. The two of us have a booklet that describes 30 Newton conservation areas. http://www.newtonconservators.org/trips.htm

Here are some photos of homes in Newton:

Victorian

These next three are on Lincoln St. that we have ridden our bikes down. I did not have the camera at the time, but wish I did! Here are some online images:

 (you can read more about the design of this house here: http://www.newtonma.gov/Election/NewtonHighlands/Highlands/14.htm. )

You will want to check out this Flickr album with 3 brightly colored Victorian homes on Lincoln St:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dghdeeo/3305282502/in/photostream/

Brick Tudor

 Laudholm Road

Take a look at the Community Rowing Building about 2 miles from us. The design is very unique. Read about it:

https://www.communityrowing.org/2010/01/12/boathouse-named-most-beautiful-new-building-in-boston/

This was a nice resource I found with some old sketches: http://www.lib.umassd.edu/digicoll/stickarch/aabn.cfm

Here are three from Newton:

    

Interesting demographic info on MA and surrounding towns (Newton was not there…but all its surrounding towns are!)

http://www.movingideas.org/boston-ma/