ICA

Sitting on the edge of the historical Boston harbor, the ICA remains very much interacted with the harbor. The view of the harbor from the site is very intriguing. The architect of the ICA building, seems to use this to his advantage. With an outdoor cafe, outdoor auditorium seating, and the large viewing hall on the top floor all facing the harbor, the building seems to frame the harbor creating different views that are continuously changing. Not only does the building capture different views of the harbor, but looking at the building in section one can notice a similarity in shape to the overall site in which it inhabits. It seems as if the harbor actually continues through the building. Whether or not this was the intention of the architect, this is the feeling I experienced when at the site.

Christian Science Center

Walking into the site, I recognized the importance of the center building. Both buildings, to the front and to the side are very orthogonal and because of this, very directional. But looking at the central building and its semi-circular entrance, large dome, and smaller domes sitting on the polygonal wings of the building, a sense of direction did not come to me.

It kept my attention focused solely on that building and how it sits in the site. Looking further at the site and the openness to the side, I felt a sort of direction toward the pool on the side. This focuses most of the attention on the central building and its relationship with large reflecting pool. Another thing I noticed, was that if you stood looking at the corner of the central building where it is open to the front and to the side where the pool is, the pool on the side and the large area of grass almost create an axis of symmetry at that corner.

Back Bay Fens

Back Bay Fens has become an area used to escape the busy city life. Originally designed by Olmstead to relieve the Charles River of over flooding during storms, the topography levels change drastically along the banks of the river. By adding recreational elements such as walking paths, basketball courts, baseball fields, and gardens, the original design for the space mainly goes unnoticed. Surrounding buildings form along the curves of the park, creating a direct relationship between the residents and the park. The buildings also act as some sort of wall or enclosure, framing the Fens within the city of Boston. Although the Fens was originally designed to deal with flood waters, the original design remains masked by its use of recreation and urban escape.