I did enjoy Boston architecture, too. That city has a strong Old World vibe that resonated with my soul. Loved living there. (The school system drove me back to the South.) And it's a "walking city." There's something reassuring about "vintage" architecture. They absolutely ruined Copley Square with that monstrous high-rise glass thing -…
I did enjoy Boston architecture, too. That city has a strong Old World vibe that resonated with my soul. Loved living there. (The school system drove me back to the South.) And it's a "walking city." There's something reassuring about "vintage" architecture. They absolutely ruined Copley Square with that monstrous high-rise glass thing - and the windows kept falling out! (Boston is built on what was once a swamp; even today, it's not 100% stable ground.)
Years ago a prof told the story of the windows falling out of the John Hancock Tower. If I recall correctly, the building was originally designed to face a different direction. But the developer could not secure all the land parcels needed for the original design.
So they just rotated the building plan a bit, without redesigning it. Boston has significant onshore winds. Which caused wind load on the building different from what it was designed for. So the windows popped out.
Dunno how accurate that story is. It doesn't exactly match what a quick Google search turns up. But it was told by an architecture professor, in Boston. Take it for what it's worth.
I never heard why the windows fell out, so nothing surprises! I recall that when it rained, if a heavy truck drove down a street, car alarms would go off because the ground was still unstable! I experienced that several times. Which has nothing to do with architecture styles, of course. I lived in a great old building that had been elite apts. at one time. Marble on the bathroom floors. 11 ft ceilings. HUGE windows. There were even ghosts, for which I can personally vouch! Loved it.
I did enjoy Boston architecture, too. That city has a strong Old World vibe that resonated with my soul. Loved living there. (The school system drove me back to the South.) And it's a "walking city." There's something reassuring about "vintage" architecture. They absolutely ruined Copley Square with that monstrous high-rise glass thing - and the windows kept falling out! (Boston is built on what was once a swamp; even today, it's not 100% stable ground.)
Years ago a prof told the story of the windows falling out of the John Hancock Tower. If I recall correctly, the building was originally designed to face a different direction. But the developer could not secure all the land parcels needed for the original design.
So they just rotated the building plan a bit, without redesigning it. Boston has significant onshore winds. Which caused wind load on the building different from what it was designed for. So the windows popped out.
Dunno how accurate that story is. It doesn't exactly match what a quick Google search turns up. But it was told by an architecture professor, in Boston. Take it for what it's worth.
I never heard why the windows fell out, so nothing surprises! I recall that when it rained, if a heavy truck drove down a street, car alarms would go off because the ground was still unstable! I experienced that several times. Which has nothing to do with architecture styles, of course. I lived in a great old building that had been elite apts. at one time. Marble on the bathroom floors. 11 ft ceilings. HUGE windows. There were even ghosts, for which I can personally vouch! Loved it.
I remember reading about this as well. Speaking of, has the Millennium Tower in San Francisco stopped very slowly falling?
The Ministry of Evil above is replicated in Boston's Government Center. Or vice versa. I'm not sure which was built first.