In the last few years, websites, social media and blogs have become the most important way for all of us to communicate and share ideas with and about one another. With this first issue of our own magazine, we continue to explore ways to reach out directly to our friends and colleagues in a printed format that reflects our love of design, graphics, food, photography, and the people who influence us. H+A is an architecture and design firm but, more than that, we are an ever-evolving and dynamic group of people who bring a wide range of creative and often unexpected influences to our studio everyday. The idea for this semi-annual magazine was to express that aspect of who we are, share our work, and invite you to be a part of it.
FOR THIS INAUGURAL ISSUE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON BOSTON’S SOUTH END.
WHY?
BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS OUR STORY.
About twenty years ago, I started H+A with a few rolls of trace and masking tape on a cheap Conran’s dining room table bought on Newbury Street. My partner and I had recently made a move to Union Park in Boston’s ‘up and coming’ South End neighborhood. Certainly, it was a time of transition for an area attracting new residents but it was also a time of transition for me, leaving the corporate architectural world to start my own design firm. As H+A evolved and grew and attracted a diverse group of talented designers and professionals, we moved our studio around the neighborhood several times, resisting the temptation to be downtown in some anonymous office space. The journey took us from a sculptor’s studio in a former musical instrument factory on Waltham Street, to our current space on Shawmut Avenue where Arthur Freedberg Tailors made suits for Saks Fifth Avenue. Like the shift from shuttered factories to artists’ studios to spaces for start-ups and designers, we experienced our neighborhood transforming itself, without losing its authentic self. We were also fortunate to participate directly in the redevelopment of the area. Years later, the South End is still our home and is still unique amongst Boston neighborhoods for
Take a stroll through Boston’s beloved historic South End with our walking map illustrating a lovely scenic route and spots to check out the next time you find yourself in the neighborhood. [See following pages for key]
Illustration by David Tabenken
Walk the South End
CHANDLER STUDIOS [Hotel]
54 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
617.482.3450 www.chandlerstudiosboston.com
POLKA DOG BAKERY [Pet]
256 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.338.5155 www.polkadog.com
FORMAGGIO KITCHEN
[Food, Wine]
268 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.350.6996 www.southendformaggio.com
FLOCK
[Women’s Clothing]
274 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.391.0222 www.flockboston.com
MICHELE MERCALDO
[Jewelry]
276 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.350.7909 www.michelemercaldo.com
FRANKLIN CAFE
[Cocktails, Restaurant] 278 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.350.0010 www.franklincafe.com
SOUTH END BUTTERY
[Market, Cafe, Restaurant] 312-314 Shawmut Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.482.1015 www.southendbuttery.com
MICHELLE WILLEY
[Home Decor]
8 Union Park St Boston, MA 02118
617.424.6700 www.michellewilley.com
HUDSON [Home Decor]
12 Union Park St Boston, MA 02118
617.292.0900 www.hudsonboston.com
GRACIE FINN
[Gifts]
18 Union Park St Boston, MA 02118
617.357.0321
www.graciefinn.com
PATCH NYC [Home, Gifts]
46 Waltham St
Boston, MA 02118
617.426.0592
www.patchnyc.com
LEKKER HOME
[Home Decor]
1313 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118
617.542.6464 www.lekkerhome.com
BRIX WINE SHOP
[Wine]
1284 Washington St Boston, MA 02118
617.542.2749 www.brixwineshop.com
MYERS + CHANG
[Restaurant]
1145 Washington St Boston, MA 02118
617.542.5200 www.myersandchang.com
LACONIA GALLERY [Art Gallery]
433 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
617.670.1568 www.laconiagallery.com
SOWA MARKET
[Seasonal Open Market] 460 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
800.403.8305 www.sowasundays.com
CASA DESIGN BOSTON
[Home Decor]
460 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118
617.654.2974 www.casadesignboston.com
BOBBY FROM BOSTON [Vintage Clothing] 19 Thayer Street Boston, MA 02118
617.423.9299
STEVEN ZEVITAS GALLERY [Art Gallery]
450 Harrison Avenue, #47 Boston, MA 02118
617.778.5265 x 22 www.stevenzevitasgallery.com
MOHR & McPHERSON [Home Decor, Cafe] 460 Harrison Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.210.7900 www.mohr-mcpherson.com
DECEMBER THIEVES [Home Decor, Gifts] 524 Harrison Ave Boston, MA 02118
617.375.7879 www.decemberthieves.com
CATHEDRAL of the HOLY CROSS
[Landmark, Church]
1400 Washington St Boston, MA 02118 www.holycrossboston.com
OLIVES & GRACE
[Gifts]
623 Tremont St Boston, MA 02118
617.236.4536 www.olivesandgrace.com
SAULT NEW ENGLAND
[Men’s Clothing]
577 Tremont St Boston, MA 02118
857.239.9434 www.saultne.com
AQUITAINE BOSTON
[Restaurant]
569 Tremont St Boston, MA 02118
617.424.8577 www.aquitaineboston.com
THE BUTCHER SHOP
[Restaurant]
552 Tremont St Boston, MA 02118
617.423.4800 www.thebutchershopboston.com
B & G OYSTERS
[Restaurant] 550 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.423.0550 www.bandgoysters.com
THE BEEHIVE
[Restaurant, Bar]
541 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.423.0069 www.beehiveboston.com
MILLS GALLERY at BCA
[Art Gallery]
539 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.426.8835 www.bcaonline.org
CALDERWOOD PAVILION
[Theater] 527 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.933.8600 www.huntingtontheatre.org
DESIGN WITHIN REACH
[Home Decor]
519 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02116
617.451.7801 www.dwr.com
PICCO
[Restaurant]
513 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.927.0066
www.piccorestaurant.com
UNIFORM
[Men’s Clothing]
511 Tremont St Boston, MA 02116
617.247.2360
www.uniformboston.com
TADPOLE
[Children]
58 Clarendon St Boston, MA 02116
617.778.1788 www.shoptadpole.com
FOLLAIN
[Beauty, Skincare]
53 Dartmouth St Boston, MA 02116
857.284.7078
www.shopfollain.com
The Perfect South End Day
is one where you might wake up at Chandler Studios and walk around the corner for breakfast at The Buttery on Clarendon Street. Afterwards, do some shopping for menswear at Sault New England, browse the women’s clothing and accessories at Flock, treat yourself with a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry at Michele Mercaldo’s jewelry boutique, and maybe even buy something for a friend at Patch NYC. By now you might have worked up an appetite again, so grab some lunch to go at Formaggio Kitchen on Shawmut Avenue, where you can find the best selection of wines, cheeses, and prepared foods. Hop over one block to have your lunch picnic-style at Peter’s Park and watch the distinguished dogs of the South End play in the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space. After lunch, head one block over to Harrison Avenue and spend your afternoon perusing the popular SoWa markets which are held seasonally and check out the various designers located year round in the artist studios, as well as the showrooms and galleries nearby. For dinner, make your way to Myers + Chang, where you won’t be disappointed by their menu inspired by Taiwanese soul food and Southeast Asian street food. Finish off your evening with cocktails and live entertainment at The Beehive. But of course, we know that a truly perfect day in the South End is the one you create on your own. Use our map of popular spots to find your own favorites in this beautiful Boston neighborhood!
The interiors team at H+A shows off some eclectic finds from some great South End spots.
Modern Muses
photos by Emily Neumann
PICK: The Ghost Sonata, 2013, ultrachrome ink jet paper on linen, 68 x 58 inches (unique), by Tamar Halpern
FOUND BY H+A DESIGNER: Kate Kelley
GALLERY ASSISTANT: Oliver, the dog
FOUND AT: Steven Zevitas Gallery
WHERE: 450 Harrison Avenue, #47, Boston
“‘The value of art lies in its ability to produce a distinctive aesthetic experience in the viewer —an experience called ‘aesthetic emotion’. This quote by noted art historian, Robert Fry, came to mind when I visited the Steven Zevitas Gallery. Tamar Halpern’s, ‘The Ghost Sonata’ in Steven’s ‘Process Priority’ Exhibition spoke to me because I could appreciate all of the basic principles and elements of design - form, scale, texture, color, value. These principles are all used here to create an ‘experience’ that doesn’t need to be analyzed or interpreted. It’s an emotion.” - Kate
“Armed with a passion for antiques and vintage clothes, owner Bobby Garnett created his own South End shop and nearby warehouse. A seasoned retail designer couldn’t have done better. Each section of his store is styled with such ease...the patina of worn leather and wood always gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I could stay all afternoon.” - Jennifer
t: 617.423.9299
PICK: Bubble Chandelier, by Pelle
FOUND BY H+A DESIGNER: Matthew Woodward
FOUND AT: Lekker
WHERE: 1313 Washington Street, Boston
“Handmade in Brooklyn by a husband and wife team, the Bubble Chandeliers are airy compositions of luminous glass. A study of simplicity and craft, the series’ organic forms complement the hand wrought accents of cotton and leather cording. The best part? Each piece is fully customizable, allowing designers and shoppers alike the chance to create a piece that complements their unique aesthetic.” - Matthew
www.lekkerhome.com
PICK: Friday Chair, by Zeitraum
FOUND BY H+A DESIGNER: Rebecca Rivers
FOUND AT: Casa Design Boston
WHERE: 460 Harrison Avenue, Boston
“Walking into Casa Design the elegant minimalistic aesthetic of this chair designed by the Formstelle design duo, Claudia Small and Jorg Kurschner, for Zeitraum immediately caught my eye. The craftsmanship displayed by the clean cut leather back strap—recalling pattern cuts—resting against the smooth subtle curves of the solid wood frame drew me in. After taking a seat and sinking in to the soft down-filled cushions it was clear to me why this chair is called Friday...put your feet up, sit back, and relax...it’s Friday!” - Rebecca
www.casadesignboston.com
PICK: Gem Coffee Table
FOUND BY H+A DESIGNER: Christine Rankin Manke
FOUND AT: Debra Folz Studio
WHERE: 450 Harrison Avenue, Boston
“I was immediately drawn to the Gem table series when I laid eyes on it last summer at the Wanted Design show. This small version is the perfect accent table or can be grouped in multiples to create a kaleidoscope of color and form. There is a great balance between hand craftsmanship and machined techniques in Debra’s work that makes it both artisanal and accessible. Looking around at the variety of materials and tools in her studio makes me incredibly eager to see what’s next.”
- Christine
www.debrafolz.com
INTERIORS DIRECTORY
FEATURED THIS ISSUE:
STEVEN ZEVITAS GALLERY
450 Harrison Avenue, #47 Boston, MA 02118
617.778.5265 x 22
www.stevenzevitasgallery.com
LEKKER HOME
1313 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118
617.542.6464
www.lekkerhome.com
BOBBY FROM BOSTON
19 Thayer Street Boston, MA 02118
617.423.9299
CASA DESIGN BOSTON
460 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
617.654.2974
www.casadesignboston.com
DEBRA FOLZ STUDIO
450 Harrison Avenue, #412C Boston, MA 02118
516.429.2273
www.debrafolz.com
MORE SOUTH END INTERIORS RESOURCES WE LOVE...
DESIGN WITHIN REACH
519 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02116
617.451.7801
www.dwr.com
BOXX
46 Waltham Street, #102 Boston, MA 02118
www.boxxfurniture.com
M2L
543 Albany Street Boston, MA 02118
617.338.0002
www.m2l.com
HUDSON
12 Union Park Street Boston, MA 02118
617.292.0900
www.hudsonboston.com
MARC HALL OBJEKT
531 Albany Street, #2 Boston, MA 02118
617.391.6236
www.marchallobjekt.com
*Featured in an upcoming Winter issue of Interiors Magazine
This exhibit features modern kinetic sculptures that combine ‘art, science, history, and technology.’ The organic movement of some of these pieces is reminiscent of how humans move and is borderline creepy, but spectacular nonetheless! Reactive and systematic movements make this a very original exhibit.
[Aimee Epstein]
Book Carving Artist, Julia Strand
Julia Strand carves amazing works of art from old books. One notable piece is a four volume book carving entitled “How Things Work”. Check out more at her website: http://hokeystokes.blogpspot.com.
[Scott Thomson]
ISGM, Third Thursdays
Every third Thursday of the month, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum stays up late and hosts an evening of music and cocktails in their spectacular historic courtyard. From DJs to jazz bands, each month they feature a different local musician. They also keep the new wing of the museum open. Makes for a fun Thursday night!
[Darien Fortier]
All Songs Considered, podcast
This NPR podcast is a great way to hear new music and insight from experts ready to share their opinions on the current music scene.
[Jeremy Robertson]
99percentinvisible.org, podcast
A very cool design podcast about the details that make a whole (object, building, city, etc.) and often go unnoticed, but create the final product. They are short, witty, and very entertaining.
[Eduardo Serrate/Scott Thomson/Matt Arnold]
Stuff You Should Know, podcast
A podcast on a vast range of topics, revealing surprising facts about common ideas. Examples from “How Pet Psychics Work” to “Who Owns An Abandonded House?” keep you intrigued and listening. [Matthew Manke & Christine Rankin Manke]
The Art of Critical Making
This book is a series of essays by academic faculty at Rhode Island School of Design, showing images of selected student and alumni work, discussing RISD’s approach to critical making which involves the hand and mind working to create objects and experiences with real meaning and value.
[Matthew Manke]
At Home: A Short History of Private Life
Written by Bill Bryson, this is a history of domestic life covering topics of the commerce, architecture, technology, and geography that have all shaped homes into what they are today.
[Jennifer Clapp]
Garden and Gun
A magazine focused on travel, gardening, cooking, drinks, and ‘Charlestonian’ Southern U.S. culture.
[Jeremy Robertson]
Goldfinch
This book by Donna Tartt is a beautifully written fictional novel about a boy who loses his mother in a tragic accident and the roller coaster of his life that follows. Tartt, often characterized as ‘Dickensian’ (by NPR and the NYTimes), creates animated characters that envelop Theo, the emotionally charged main character, and the highly contrasted worlds he finds himself in.
[Aimee Epstein]
There Goes the Gayborhood
Written byAmin Ghaziani this is is an incisive look at the origins and challenges of the unique cultural enclaves created by neighborhoods that have historically drawn the LGBT communities, like San Francisco’s Castro District, Greenwich Village in NYC, and Boston’s South End.
[David Tabenken]
The Great Beauty
(La Grande Bellezza) This Italian film was the winner of the Academy Awards’ Best International Film this year. Beautifully shot in Rome, it tells the story of a socialite that realizes on his 65th birthday that his chosen life, a mix of intellectuals, parties, and strippers, has left him with a taste of nothing, and he starts searching for meaning. The plot doesn’t always feel straight-forward but you’ll be happy to let it take you along for the ride.
[Eduardo Serrate]
Jodorowsky’s Dune
A fascinating documentary about Jodorowsky’s unmade adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune. Jodorowsky had assembled an extraordinary creative team whose work never came to fruition, but nonetheless have influenced the science fiction movie genre.
[Joshua Lentz]
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel
This is an inspiring documentary on Diana Vreeland’s life and legacy as the influential fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Magazines. As an editor, her vision was extraordinary, but as a woman, her personality was larger than life. Her playful way of embellishing memories makes for a very colorful story. She revolutionized the fashion industry during her time at Vogue, turning the magazine into an iconic artistic publication.
[Emily Neumann]
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Everything about Wes Anderson films gives you visual electric shocks. Zing!!! There are no subtleties in Anderson’s interiors, costumes, or characters. The vintage vibe in each film is created with such a keen sense of humor and attention to detail. Each movie is an inspiration. Check out his latest creation, The Grand Budapest Hotel.
[Jennifer Clapp]
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters
If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the work of photographer Gregory Crewdson, check out this documentary on Netflix. The budgets for shooting just one of his still images can rival that of Hollywood film productions with sometimes detailed sets, and large crews on location. His surreal and elaborate portraits of small-town American life are beautifully executed and incredibly haunting. A must-see for any lover of image-crafting.
[Emily Neumann]
Table & Tulip, South End
Entering this flower and plant shop on Shawmut Avenue feels like walking through an urban secret garden. They make beautiful, unconventional arrangements that are perfect housewarming/condowarming gifts and also provide rentable decor for special events. Owner Andrea Halliday and her staff are incredibly knowledgeable, creative, and passionate about their work!
[Aimee Epstein]
Uniqlo, Metro West
This Tokyo-based Japanese casual clothing company is known for stylish clothing for men, women, and kids. However, there’s no longer any need to travel all the way to NYC to shop at a Uniqlo store. Uniqlo has finally arrived in Natick, Newton, Peabody, and the North Shore!
[Matthew Arnold]
Room 68, Jamaica Plain
Room 68 is the newest place to check out for great contemporary design, from furniture, lighting, and objects. And they have an exciting new location in Provincetown!
[Eduardo Serrate]
SHOP
EAT (restaurants)
Cafe Madeleine, South End
A lot of Bostonians have been anxiously waiting for this cafe to open on Columbus Ave. Before coming to Cafe Madeleine, the pastry chef honed his skills at PB Boulangerie & Bistro in Wellfleet, which is a must for any French foodie.
[Eduardo Serrate]
Drink, Fort Point, Boston
It’s not always available or listed on the menu, but the cheeseburger at Drink is probably the best burger ever, anywhere. Fresh ingredients, perfectly seasoned and so juicy that you may end up wearing more of it than you eat... It’s definitely worth the messy fingers and goes well with one of their aged (in-house) tequila drinks.
[Russell Higgins]
Alden and Harlow, Harvard Square
Alden and Harlow was recently voted one of the best restaurants in the country. Located in the iconic Casablanca space in Harvard Square, the restaurant serves gourmet American fare. Try the sweet corn gnocchi, chicken fried local rabbit, the grilled cauliflower, crispy berkshire porky belly, and finish the meal with the vanilla & buttermilk cheesecake. It is amazing!
[Matthew Arnold]
Bronwyn, Union Square
Nestled in the heart of Union Square is this phenomenal German/Eastern European restaurant. Bronwyn’s menu is variations of meat, cabbage, potatoes, beer and more beer (sold in liters no less!) but don’t judge this based on your mother’s overcooked St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage. Their flavors are clean and fresh. The wurst is made from scratch. They use local ingredients and most items are made in-house, including the bretzel which comes to your table piping hot with a side of their housemade mustard. You’ll never have leave hungry.
[Russell Higgins]
Beat Hotel, Harvard Square
Beat Hotel is the new sister restaurant of The Beehive, also delivering a bohemian, underground vibe with live music every night. The food is cozy and filling (re: short rib lasagna) and they have artisanal wine on tap. Try the American Breed cocktail with whiskey and elderflower liquor - it will knock your socks off!
[Aimee Epstein]
Zo’s, food truck
The best gyro - hands down - in the city of Boston. You have to get ‘the original’ which is a classic lamb gyro. www.zoboston.com
This food truck in Brookline has great fish tacos! There’s also a permanent kitchen for carry-out food in Brookline on Harvard Street. www.doradotacos.com @DoradoBoston www.facebook.com/doradotacos [Jeremy Robertson]
Tenoch, food truck
This Mexican food truck can be found in the SOWA Market, and the mobile kitchen has permanent homes located at restaurants of the same name in Medford and in the North End. Both the food truck and restaurants are excellent. www.tenochmexican.com @TenochMexican [David Tabenken]
Fresh Truck, food truck
Started by Northeastern University graduates, the Fresh Truck offers fresh fruits and vegetables that are affordable and accessible to everyone in Boston. www.thefreshtruck.org. @theFreshTruck www.facebook.com/thefreshtruck [Darien Fortier]
For more on Boston’s Food Trucks check out the city’s website listing daily scheduling and location information for all of the licensed trucks serving the city: http://www.cityofboston.gov/foodtrucks
EXPLORE
Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles
This is a chic hotel in Los Angeles, CA which one could say epitomizes un-design, as they have basically kept the rooms as they have been since its heyday as a Hollywood star hot spot in the 20’s-50’s. It’s still known as a go-to spot for A-list celebrities - Lindsay Lohan was banned after not paying her $40K tab!
[Rebecca Rivers]
Hotel Chocolat, St. Lucia
This foodie haven boutique hotel in the Caribbean is a swanky getaway. Set on a cacao plantation, all food and spa treatments infuse this homegrown superfood, though never letting it become overpowering. The open air ‘cabin’ rooms give the feeling of luxury camping. It’s a great vacation spot for chocolate lovers looking to experience the rain forest climate in a luxurious way.
[Aimee Epstein]
Sakonnet Vineyard, Little Compton
Sakonnet Vineyard in Little Compton, Rhode Island is a great weekend day trip from Boston. There are daily wine tastings and vineyard tours, and the cafe offers farm-to-table dishes. The wine is great, the scenery is beautiful, and the vineyard is also dog friendly!
[Christine Rankin Manke]
Hix Island House, Puerto Rico
The Hix Island House, in the hills of Vieques, is a collection of sustainable luxury lofts that blur the boundary between nature and the built environment. Made of concrete, with no windows, A/C, and limited lighting and hot water, the lofts offer a unique high-end but ‘roughing-it’ stay, but with spectacular views and the opportunity to shower outside with the geckos under the stars.
[Russell Higgins]
Waterfire, Providence, RI
Attending Waterfire in Providence is a great way to spend a Saturday in the Fall. The lighting of nearly 100 bonfires takes place on the rivers that pass through downtown and connect a stretch of public urban spaces and parks. Bring a picnic blanket and find a spot to sit, or stroll along the river and enjoy the music, installations and performances.
[Darien Fortier]
Lecco, Italy
Lecco is a small town in north Italy’s lakes region about 45 minutes north of Milan, nestled into the base of the Alps. Lecco is known to be Italy’s vacation land, but in 2014 it was the host to 2 of the largest international Ultimate Frisbee tournaments, The World Ultimate Club Championships and World Junior Ultimate Championships!
[Sean Farrell]
Habits of Mind
“As my son, Max, prepares for high school, we get letters from the school to describe the curriculum. One included the ‘habits of mind’ that the mathematics department wishes to instill. It struck me that these are great habits for designers as well...”
[Scott Thomson]
“It would have been a shame to serve food with this much personality in a room without one. Hacin + Associates gave us all that and then some.”
-Christopher Myers
MYERS CHANG
MAMA CHANG’S PORK AND CHIVE DUMPLINGS
6-8 large napa cabbage leaves
½1 bunch garlic chives
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce round dumpling wrappers
2-3 tablespoons cooking oil
Slice the cabbage thinly, place in a large bowl and salt generously with about 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Mince garlic chives. Mix together pork, ginger, garlic chives, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Squeeze cabbage to take out all of the water, add to pork mixture and mix well. Fold and pleat dumplings (dumplings may be made in advance and frozen tightly wrapped).
To cook dumplings, place oil in a large flat skillet and heat on high. Add dumplings and immediately turn down to medium low. Cook, checking bottoms of dumplings, until golden brown. Add about ¼ cup water to pan and cover immediately (be careful as the water will can sputtering and steaming). Let cook for a few minutes and add another ¼ cup of water when the water evaporates. Cover and cook again. Add one final ¼ cup of water and cover and cook again. Dumplings are done when the water totally evaporates and the bottoms are brown and crispy. Serve with dumpling sauce.
DUMPLING SAUCE
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon black Chiangking vinegar
2 teaspoons sriracha chili sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
some rough chopped ginger
Mix all together, may be made in advance.
Can we better understand the character of a city by observing its physical form?
Boston Considered
Writer David Hacin | Photographer Bruce Martin
New York’s well-organized skyline can be seen as the heroic, vertical expression of efficient commerce; Washington, DC as a city of symbols with grand boulevards linking great monuments to leaders and battles long since passed into history. By contrast, Boston is a city of fabric, stitched together like a complex threedimensional quilt. It is neither the realization of a great vision, such as Daniel Burnham’s plan for Chicago, nor the physical manifestation of our national westward expansion, relentlessly crossing any and all opposing topography, as reflected in the San Francisco grid. Rather, Boston is a democratic and distinctly nonhierarchical patchwork of neighborhoods and small squares that were created organically over hundreds of years by countless disconnected visionaries who each brought new ideas about how to remake and reorganize its colonial DNA. Generally elegant and discrete, its monuments rise above streets and neighborhoods that are striking in their form and rhythm. What’s more, the city has been consistently transformed through an unprecedented history of ‘land-making’ and feats of remarkable civil and social engineering. It may be a cliché to describe Boston as both old and new, but so it is, in ways that are unique to its American story.
*Illustrated by the architectural photography of Bruce Martin
Opposite page: Washington Street in Boston, with a view of H+A project, the Lafayette Lofts, at 88 Kingston Street, with its trademark Fleur de Lis.
Boston’s identity is not easily catalogued or described, nor can its essence be captured by a couple of iconic photographs. It has been described as historic and European, but what does that really mean? Like many European capitals, it offers a nonlinear system of streets and footpaths as well as the surprise of not knowing what’s just around the corner. To pedestrians, some of these mysteries can be confusing, but Boston is also compact and walk-able enough to grow easily familiar. With its clear boundaries and striking moments of visual orientation -- glistening domes, poignant steeples, vibrant commercial squares, and a citizenry that treasures and preserves its history -- it can feel very European, indeed. Though undamaged by the tragedy and random destruction of great wars, Boston’s cityscape has survived successive waves of economic development that were at times extremely violent. The West End, Scollay Square, the Opera House -- they are all gone, and with them, the way of life they fostered. Yet, despite the era of urban renewal and socalled slum clearance, Boston, like most European cities, has in large part retained its historic fabric. And, in a sense, one must really ‘wear’ that fabric to understand it.
Boston encompasses most of the elements that make up the history of the American urban storyline. There is the town Common; the winding colonial streets of the North End; the English-inspired squares of the South End; the Parisian Boulevards of the Back Bay; the City Beautiful institutions along the Olmsted-designed Fens; the neo-Corbusian West End; the 1960s towers and plazas; ‘New Urbanist’ neighborhoods of affordable housing; and, most recently, the emergence of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, a parkway built above a boldly reconceived highway
Boston has been described as historic and European, but what does that really mean?
A sidewalk view of rowhouses in Boston’s historic South End neighborhood.
“
Boston encompasses most of the elements that make up the history of the American urban storyline...
...They are all here, jostling for our attention in that typically Yankee way.
‘don’t look at me’ ”
The iconic Union Oyster House sits among historic Boston structures with modern skyscrapers in the distance.
infrastructure called simply, the Big Dig. They are all here, jostling for our attention in that typically Yankee ‘don’t look at me’ way. Boston is not a showy city but I would venture that it offers more urban texture within its small footprint than most typical grid cities many times its size. Towers that would fall away into anonymous canyons of long avenues instead turn toward one another in a kind of Titan’s dance against the skyline, responding to the tight fit of the irregular streets below; neighborhoods are defined by the character and edges of their street patterns; a prevalence of brick and masonry adds an air of permanence to even modest structures. With a few notable exceptions, the cityscape effortlessly absorbs each of these individual architectural styles and works of utopian planning into a whole that greatly supersedes its parts.
At the level of urban planning, Boston could be a case study from Colin Rowe and Fred Koetter’s classic text, Collage City, in which individual cities are viewed as repositories for multiple utopian visions, each informing the other while contributing to a larger multivalent view. Similarly, the triple-deckers, bow fronts, and limestone mansions -- each exquisite -- create blocks of incredible visual interest and scale that few single buildings can achieve on their own.
As a result of the deep layers and nuanced textures that it presents, Boston is a difficult city to capture in photographs. These days, it seems that many new American cities look much more architecturally exciting in their postcard views than they do when one experiences them in person, especially on foot. Iconic towers that look enticing on your screensaver can often land disharmoniously on actual streets. Similarly, colorful plazas, garages, and parking lots can photograph beautifully, while really feeling devoid of life or character. In many of these cities, only
Although many will argue the point, I maintain that no single era or architectural style overpowers Boston, though each, in its own way, may try. “ ”
isolated districts or buildings offer the scale and variety that make a place worth exploring or understanding. In short, their architectural charisma is largely superficial. To make up for this, they require bold and splashy photographic presentation that works almost like a product logo, shouting ‘I’m an important place, so notice me’.
As Bruce Martin’s work so elegantly describes and explains: Not so, Boston.
A Boston street can appear in a few frames of a movie and be instantly recognizable. The views of Back Bay from across the Charles or of downtown from the harbor are certainly iconic and metaphorically connect the city to its waterfront roots. In thinking about the skyline, the distinguished Boston architecture critic, Robert Campbell, has elegantly described the ‘dorsal fin’ of towers that moves along the so-called high spine of skyscrapers linking the Back Bay with the Financial District. But these panoramic views do not begin to describe the experience of moving through and between the intimately entangled streets. Here, vast preserves of the old are thickly layered with the constantly accumulating new that slowly, year by year, joins their ranks. Although many will argue the point, I maintain that no single era or architectural style overpowers Boston, although each, in
FP3 condominiums (designed by Hacin + Associates) in Boston’s Fort Pointneighborhood.
quo delenit partiendo.
Left: The intersection of Washington and East Berkeley Streets in the South End, where Project Place - designed by H+A - is located.
Inset: The intersection in the late 1970’s when the orange line was still an elevated railway.
its own way, may try. The city is a perpetual timeline first made up of stone, brick, and concrete and now composed of metal and glass. It documents how Bostonians live, work, and socialize and can be read like a history book in chapters or, as I prefer, with its pages shuffled, showing the heavy cut stone of the old Custom House against the slick glass veneers of the Financial District’s towers. If you look carefully, these contrasts tell us more about how times and technologies have changed than any one building ever could. Today, new building projects tell us that 21st Century Boston is evolving again, and may no longer be defined chiefly by the differences between its communities, but rather by the careful exploration of interconnectivity as a new source for the city’s strength.
On a personal note, I have lived and practiced in Boston’s South End for almost 25 years, watching a neighborhood of great character renew itself. Home to charming urban squares and the largest collection of Victorian brick bow and bay front townhouses in the country, what became the South End Historic Landmark District had, by mid century, fallen into disrepair and was surrounded by the blight of highways and 19th Century industrial districts cleared for urban renewal. Bruce’s photographs capture the beauty of the District but also document the desolation left in the wake of slum clearance projects that fortunately lacked the funding to be completed. These photographs are not just works of art but important parts of our historical record and they remind us how quickly a city can change. Today, these areas have undergone a dramatic transformation. New buildings of contrasting style line Washington Street, recalling its original grandeur and importance. Its parks are bustling with Little League, tai chi groups, strollers, and dogs. In short, the neighborhood is alive again.
This ebb and flow of development, design, and renewal is the force that makes Boston the most historic of American cities. It has not been frozen in time. There are maps, etchings, watercolors, and drawings to tell its story, but for me, it is photography that brings the city’s history to life. Bruce Martin’s eye is striking. It captures the details, compositions, and physical relationships that we move past every day without noticing. He sees Boston for the unique place that it is, was, and inevitably will become. Pay close attention and you will be rewarded. +
[This essay is from a forthcoming book of photography by Bruce Martin] For more, visit www.brucetmartin.com/Architecture/Boston-Cityscape/
“One year later and I still admire the beauty and details of the space. It is truly a special place to spend time.”
It has always seemed to me that you can learn a lot about the way someone sees the world and what they value by having a look at what they choose to photograph when there is not necessarily any intended audience at the moment of capture. Many people choose to create images of moments, landscapes, objects, other people, or even of themselves. Of course, David Hacin is an architect, so perusing his photographic work, many architectural images were to be found. However, what sparked my interest in the images in this essay and many others I found in David’s collection was a curiosity for the unusual. A lover of classic films, it is not at all surprising that the spaces David chooses to frame in these photographs have a rather cinematic quality—a curious interest that draws you in and compels you to sit and wait for the moment to happen.
Photos by David Hacin Intro by Emily Neumann
DISTRICT HALL, 75 NORTHERN AVE, BOSTON, MA | 617.982.7230 | WEEKDAYS 7am-5pm, WEEKENDS Closed
Suzanne Kenney
of Project Place Gatehouse
Interview by David Tabenken, AIA
Photography by Emily Neumann
H+A’s David Tabenken talks with Suzanne Kenney, Executive Director of Project Place, about the organization, their H+A designed building, and the South End neighborhood in which they both live and work.
DT: Tell us about Project Place, the organization’s history in the South End, and its mission.
Project Place was started in the South End almost five decades ago by a “bunch of well-meaning hippies” and two social workers from Boston University who wanted to address the issue of young people on the street, kids who had run away from home or who were struggling with drugs and alcohol and really needed a safe place to land and to get their life together. By the mid-80’s, with services in place for these young people, Project Place recognized there was a burgeoning adult homeless population who, like many of the youths we were serving, were on the streets abusing drugs and alcohol. We have always been committed to working with individuals who have struggled with addiction, and when people cross our threshold, they have committed to making some life change and hoping that someone can help them find a job and find housing.
For almost 40 years, we were located on Rutland Street, in a 12,000 square foot 1800’s row house that was given to us dirt-cheap by a former supporter. As Project Place grew, we recognized the limitations of that building and wanted to build a new facility that gave us commercial and physical space to do what we do well—running small businesses and teaching classes to impart new skills that people can use and that transfer to a job. We also wanted to provide permanent housing.
We moved to our current location on Washington Street in 2007, and with a wonderful new building that was built by Consigli Construction and of course designed by Hacin + Associates, we fulfilled a promise to our clients to serve more people and put them to work in our small businesses. We’ve gone from serving 500 people back in 2007 to serving 1500 last year—all with a very efficient staff of 25.
At first I was concerned that the historic significance of the site and its visibility meant more cost, because all eyes were going to be on this building. The public approvals process was really new to me, and I relied on both you and David Hacin to help work through the design with the community and to keep our costs in line with our budget.
I think the symbolism of being a site where immigrants first arrived from foreign lands with the hope that life was going to be different is very significant to what we do here today, helping people change their lives for the better. The design of the building is very clever with its two corner towers of glass lit up at night as beacons, symbolic of hope for folks whose lives are in disarray or in crisis. I do often share that history of the site, particularly when I take funders around the building, and it is interesting to see what connections people make between the historic city gate, the name Gatehouse, and our mission.
I’m pleased with the visibility that this location brings to us.
DT: Does increased visibility mean new opportunities for fundraising?
“I think the symbolism of being a site where immigrants first arrived from foreign lands with the hope that life was going to be different is very significant to what we do here today, helping people change their lives for the better. ”
Though we were already in the neighborhood for decades doing great things to support the men and women who walked through our doors, I think this building really established us in the community— there’sjust such visibility with a building that’s six stories high at the corner of a major intersection, with a wonderful restaurant tenant like Myers + Chang. By the way, sometimes I’m there five times a week—it’s never hard to convince colleagues to meet me for lunch at Myers + Chang!
Our mission is to create a place of hope and opportunity for low income and homeless individuals so that they can obtain the education, the skills, and the resources to get a job and get housed.
DT: When working on the design of the building, we discovered that its site was the location of Boston’s original city gate and came up with the name Gatehouse. What does this prominent corner and its history mean to Project Place?
In terms of our funders, when it became clear to me that many people were giving us money very specifically to build a building, we really tried to engage them in what was going on inside the building. It became my task, along with our Director of Development, and our Board, to make sure that people were invited in—we had open houses and tours, and people were very impressed with what was going on here. It did change the amount of dollars that we received from the community–we certainly had to take advantage of people’s interest in supporting the building to then support our programming. This was an $11 million project—about
half was public funding due to the housing component, and the other half was owner’s equity and private funding. Making that leap into a new space has afforded us increased opportunities for fundraising.
DT: What are the business enterprises that Project Place currently runs, and has this programming grown since moving to this building in 2007?
We started our first social enterprise called Project Pepsi back in 1991, and we now have three businesses. Project Pepsi is a third party vendor to Pepsi-Cola, employing about 10-14 people a year in what’s called transitional employment. They work with us for about 6 months and they get a paycheck--real work for real pay. They also attend classes in the afternoon when their shift is over, and they have a case manager to help them get housing and get that permanent job. Clean Corners Bright Hopes began as a public maintenance program, but expanded to include janitorial work when we moved to this building, and now employs 40-50 people a year. Home Plate is a food catering business, which includes serving as “lunch ladies” for a couple of nonprofits in the community and delivering sandwiches on a daily basis. If you’re having a lunch event, we’re happy to do your catering!
In addition, we’re about to start a fourth specifically targeting women who are living with their children in shelters. We have been meeting with a group of women who work or volunteer in the community for over a year now to plan this new business. Working with young women who have not worked before and have children is challenging because they’re so afraid to lose public assistance for a low paying job that won’t support their family. This enterprise will be a training opportunity where they’ll get the skills they need to move on to a higher paying job.
Prior to moving to our new building in 2007, we employed about 40 people a year in these enterprises, and
last year it was 94. So we’ve seen quite an increase—the building has allowed us to meet our mission to serve more people in need with this expanded programming. We’re very excited about this growth. When we moved into this building, we were a $1.4 million agency operationally. We’re now a $4 million agency.
DT: The new building provided 14 single room occupancy apartments, and H+A worked with 14 interior designers who donated time and resources to design and fit-out each of the apartments. How have these units held up?
I’m incredibly impressed that the tenants have maintained them so well. Because these are studio apartments, the housing is transitional, so we’ve had turnover. The hope is that people will move on as they obtain the means through job attainment and get stabilized for whatever their issues are. The expectation is that people stay about 18 months to two years, though residents are welcome to stay as long as they like, as long as they’re paying the rent and being respectful of others. We’ve found that generally the units are left clean, there’s very little repair other than normal wear and tear, and if you walked into any unit today, I think you would largely see evidence of the design work that originally happened seven years ago.
One of our board members, Heather Wells, was one of the 14 original interior designers, and made a commitment to helping us maintain the units with each turnover. Her colleague Barry DeCosta, who is also co-chair for our annual fundraising brunch, comes in with the resources that Heather provides and freshens up the room, replaces the linens, pots and pans, flatware, and such. I think there’s been very little painting that’s had to be done, maybe a chair here and there has had to be replaced, but Heather and Barry take care of that for us—their efforts have been amazing!
DT: The South End has changed a lot over the years, and currently there’s significant development happening nearby. How will this impact Project Place and how do you engage with the community?
Given that there are two other nonprofits within a block of here—Pine Street Inn and More Than Words--I’m sure we’re all going to call dibs on the new folks that are moving in to the new developments going up nearby. Do I see potential donors? Sure, but relationships will be have to be cultivated, volunteers sought, and hopefully they’ll care about what we’re doing and will invest some dollars to support us. I am excited that there will be new retail space in the neighborhood, and we’ve already spoken to Whole Foods about hiring our graduates.
Cape, did you feel like you were engaging with the neighborhood differently?
I “time-share” with my best friend, so on Wednesday and Thursday it’s mine, and on Monday and Tuesday it’s hers. Living in the South End, the place that I have been working for about 40 years, I bump into people I know—and the first thing I realized was that I needed “going to get milk clothes”! I never gave that any thought before—when I’m at the dump in Brewster, people look just like me, in their ratty jeans and their t-shirts, but here, when I run out of the house to get a quart of milk, I have to put my nice clothes back on!
“I think the design is very clever with its two corner towers of glass lit up at night as a beacon, symbolic of hope for folks whose lives are in disarray or in crisis. ”
In terms of engaging with our neighbors, we give back to the community by lending our commons space for free to a dozen nonprofits and civic groups such as the Eight Streets and Old Dover Neighborhood Associations, the Boston Natural Area Networks, and the Boston Redevelopment Authority. We’ve also hosted a nonprofit called And Still We Rise, a theatrical group that works with men and women who’ve been in prison and are learning to tell their stories through performance. It’s an incredible group, and in fact many of our graduates participate.
DT: You live on Cape Cod and work In Boston, and I know you have a pied-a-terre in the South End. When you started spending more time here during the week, rather than going home to the
I run into people all the time. I have board members who live in the South End, and some of them have served for 15 or 20 years, so we’ve become good friends. It’s fun to hear “hey Suzanne” and bump into them on the street. It’s like there’s eyes everywhere. You know that. You live and work in the South End! So I feel more connected here than I do in Brewster, although I love living on the Cape.
DT: Thank you for speaking to us, Suzanne!
Well thank you guys for caring about what we do here.
For more information about Project Place and to donate, please refer to their website: www.projectplace.org
10 the
SOUTH END EXPERIENCES
1. A Summer Rooftop Barbecue
Have a summer drink overlooking the beautiful neighborhood around you, and enjoy the view of Boston’s iconic Back Bay skyline. Be sure to search for an invitation to a South End ‘stoop’ gathering while you’re at it.
2. SOWA Market
Have a Sunday stroll through the SOWA Market. Eat at one of the food trucks, buy a t-shirt, and then stroll into one of the many adjacent art galleries.
3. First Fridays and South End Open Studios
Enjoy browsing local galleries and artists’ studios open to the public, and don’t miss the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts and the Laconia Gallery—two of Boston’s very few not-for-profit galleries.
4. Wally’s Jazz Club
A famous South End institution that has consistently played live jazz for decades. Go, have an old-fashioned, and listen to seasoned jazz musicians play next to Berklee students.
5. Cathedral of the Holy Cross
Cathedral of the Holy Cross is the mother church of Boston’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Despite the incomplete spires on the exterior, the cathedral has a grand Gothic interior that will remind you of being in Europe.
6. The Boston Pride Parade
Celebrate with the LGBT community and have fun watching politicians and drag queens compete for attention at the most colorful event of the year in the South End.
7. The Washington Gateway NeckTies Fundraiser
Foodies flock to this fun annual fundraiser which includes goodies from the area’s best and brightest eateries, raising money for this organization that works to preserve the economic vitality of the South End.
8. A Night at the Theater
Check out one of the BCA’s resident theater companies including the 2nd stage of the acclaimed Huntington Theater Company where you can catch world class productions, including some incredible original premieres.
9. The Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space
You’ve never seen happier dogs than the ones playing at the Joe Wex Dog Recreation Space at Peter’s Park.
10. Sunday Brunch + Shop... ....but be sure to make reservations!
