We rarely even toe-dip into Greater Boston's commercial real estate, but the latest renderings of the future office spire at 380 Stuart Street in Back Bay has us doing a double-take. Recall that the 625,000-square-foot, 26-story tower is due to supplant a nine-story building that insurance giant John Hancock owns (and that would be demolished to make way). Straightforward enough, yes.
Related: Erasing Hancock: New England's Tallest Tower Renamed
But then there's the planned design by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and CBT Architects, which will surely stand out amid the drab, squarish, Lego-like, gray slabs that dominate the city's commercial skyline. How? With a curving facade from top to bottom (see renderings). Bravo! Seriously, it's among only two proposed high-rises really bucking the norm right now. And even better? The curves serve a practical purpose: They will reduce the impact from wind along Stuart Street and will likely ensure that the 388-foot 380 Stuart does not cast an undue shadow over the Common. Can't have that. What'd you think? As ambitious as large-scale Boston architecture is getting nowadays, right?
· John Hancock's Proposed Back Bay Tower Is Not Boring [Curbed Boston]
· Let's All Cheer the Seaport's Super-Elliptical Office Tower [Curbed Boston]
· The Five Worst Trends in Greater Boston Real Estate, Ranked [Curbed Boston]
Loading comments...