Back Bay Boston Urban Study

Back Bay, Boston, MA Photograph of Back Bay

Philip Greenspun

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600mi.

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15mi.

60mi.

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1/2mi. 1mi.

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Google Maps

Back Bay History

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- Originally a literal bay.

-Boston + Roxbury Mill Corp produced a milldam which resulted in complete failure.

-Infill land after failure.

-1882: Infill complete; gravel transported by Gross + Munson GMI Railroad.

-Plan of Back Bay influenced by Haussman’s renovation of Paris.

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Wikipedia; Google Maps

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660’

1320’

2640’

Boston Area Forest Cover Map

Dr. Wangari Maathai, Urban Ecology Institute Urban Tree Canopy Assessment

Emba nkmen t Rd.

Hatch Shell

rles

Rive

rE

ade

Fisher College

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Emerson College . n St gto Arlin

Cha

n spla

Church of the Advent

St. eley Berk

First Lutheran Church

e Driv rrow Sto

St. con Bea

Boston Center for Adult Education

St. gh rou rlbo Ma

St. ter Exe

Emmanuel Church Commonwealth Day School

St. ield Fairf

Newman Preparatory School

St. ster uce Glo

St. ford Here

ue

ven

hA

ealt

nw mo

Public Garden

Church of the Covenant

First Baptist Church

nue Ave alth nwe mo Com nue Ave alth nwe ll mo Ma Com

Arlington Street Church

Arlington

St. bury New

m

Co

Snowden High School Old South Church

Kingsley Montessori School

500 Bolyston Street

Copley

Trinity Church

Copley Square

Hynes Convention Center

v. tts A huse ssac Ma

Berklee College of Music St. Cecilia's Fenway Community Church Health Center

Westin Hotel

Sheraton Hotel

Copley Place

111 Huntington Avenue

Ha rc ou rt St

Pa or rid

District D-4 Police Station

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or

St St Bo to lp h

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Ho lyo ke

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Br ad do ck

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Av. rren Wa

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Christian Science The Mother Church, Plaza The First Church of Christ, Scientist

St ce ren Law n St leto App

n anto WC

Symphony Community Park

r St ndle Cha

rk

Hu nt in gt on

Hemen way St

Prudential

Rd erly Edg

Burban k St

Tent City Apartments

Av .

Belvide re St.

Norway St

Massachusetts Communications College

Back Bay/South End

Prudential Center Prudential Tower

Hilton Hotel

St. art Stu

C olu m bu sA v.

Hynes Convention Institute for Contemporary Art Center/ICA

Lord & Taylor

Newbury College

John Hancock Tower Copley Plaza Hotel St. on rend Cla

Boston Architectural Center

Boston Public Library

New England Financial

St. uth mo Dart

n St. lsto Boy

Burdett School

. s Av me St. Ja

Boston Center for the Arts

McKinley/ Mackey School feet

Back Bay

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Street and Building Names

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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Boston Public Garden

Trinity Chruch

John Hancock Tower

Wikipedia; the Dirty Roofer; Open Buildings; Google Maps

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Key Map

Charles River

Boston Public Library

Prudential Center

Explore Boston; Andrew Collins; Velocity Press; Google Maps

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Figure Ground

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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R U R A L

T1

NATURAL ZONE

Transect Map

600’

T2

I I I I I I I I I I

RURAL ZONE

T3

T R A N S E C T

SUB-U R B A N ZONE

T4

I I I I I I I I I I

G ENERA L URBAN ZONE

T5

URBA N CENTER

U R B A N

ZONE

T6

URBA N CORE ZONE

SD

S P E C I AL DISTRICT

DPZ Lexicon Transect Diagram; Google Maps

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1-3 Family Residenrial Use

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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600’

Apartment Residential Use

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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Mixed Use

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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Institutional Use

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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Commercial Use

Presidential Properties Zoning and Use Map; Google Maps

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Open Space

Google Maps

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600’

MTBA Subway T Lines

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; Google Maps

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MTBA Bus T Lines

Google Maps

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mile 1/2

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m ile

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MTBA T Stops

Google Maps

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Street Network

Alleys/Small Streets Small Streets Main Streets Below Ground Highway

Google Maps

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37’

74’

148’

Elongated Block Structure

Google Maps

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Beacon Street

Typical Alley

Commonwealth Avenue Google Maps

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60’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

4’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

4’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

Beacon Street Section

Building

Landscape

Beacon Street Frontage

Beacon Street Section Proportions Google Maps

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60’-0”

25’-0”

10’-0”

25’-0”

Darmouth + Beacon Alley Street Section

Building

Alley Section Proportions

Darmouth + Beacon Alley Street Frontage Google Maps

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50’-0”

20’-0”

20’-0”

12’-0”

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12’-0”

36’-0”

Commonwealth Avenue Street Section

Beacon Street Frontage Google Maps

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12’-0”

36’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

12’-0”

20’-0”

20’-0”

Building

Landscape

Commonwealth Avenue Section Proportions

Google Maps

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Google Images

Carlo J Guzman De Jesus

ARC 583 Urbanism Research Project Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk

Back Bay, Boston, MA, USA Spring 2012