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Local Architects Select: Best of Boston
We asked seven leading architects who practice in and around Boston to choose their favorite buildings in the city. Their selections range from celebrated icons to secret city treasures. We also induced them to reveal their favorite dining spots.
President, Payette
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| Photo courtesy Payette |
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Austin Hall at Harvard University by H.H. Richardson.
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John Hancock Building by I.M. Pei.
[Editor’s Note: Click here to take an exclusive video tour of the Hancock.] Frederick Law Olmsted’s house and gardens in Brookline.
Ivy Restaurant, 49 Temple Place (the Ladder District), Boston. It’s a great little Italian place—walking distance from the Boston Convention Center.
Based on what you have seen and read about this project, how would you grade it? Use the stars below to indicate your assessment, five stars being the highest rating.
Architect, MassHousing
President, Boston Society of Architects
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| Photo courtesy Boston Society of Architects |
Although I am going to assume everyone will already have on their must-see list the original Boston Public Library Charles [designed by Charles Follen McKim], Trinity Church [designed by H.H. Richardson], and Boston City Hall [designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles], the following three picks are a little less well known, but certainly worthy of a visit:
The Boston Athenaeum [designed by Edward Clark Cabot], at 10 1/2 Beacon St., Boston, is known for its historically preserved elegance, which does not get in the way of reader comfort in this well-loved Boston landmark.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum [designed by Willard T. Sears], 280 Fenway, Boston, is an eccentric collection of art in an equally eclectic building. Its Venetian Courtyard is a magical place any time of day, any season of the year.
And, finally, the Kresge Chapel at MIT [designed by Eero Saarinen] is a profoundly simple but exquisite place to ponder life's most important questions.
[Editor’s Note: Click here to take an exclusive video tour of the Chapel.]
I recommend The Helmand, which is 143 First Street, in Cambridge. (Take the MBTA Green Line to Lechmere or the MBTA Red Line to Kendall and walk up to First Street.) Wonderful Afghani food which is much like Middle Eastern cuisine—lamb, eggplant, and rice. Do try the kaddo (pumpkin) and aushak (raviolis filled with leeks and scallions); the rack of lamb is just wonderful. Vegetarian choices are also exceptionally good. Make reservations and still be prepared to wait! The dining room is awash in saffron-colored walls, fantastic rugs, and warmed by an oven filled with fragrant baking bread.
Principal, Cambridge Seven Associates Inc.
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| Photo courtesy Cambridge Seven Associates Inc. |
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One of my favorite local buildings is the Genzyme World Headquarters building, designed by Behnish Architects. This is great example of a Platinum LEED building designed from the inside out. The building is designed around an interior environment which emphasizes natural light, views of the outdoors, and spaces which facilitate collaboration. The use of 21st-century materials and building technologies makes this project a gem in the heart of Kendall Square, Cambridge.
Another favorite of mine is The Brain & Cognitive Science Complex at MIT, designed by Charles Corea with Goody Clancy & Associates. The most fascinating thing about this building is that it sits atop an active freight-rail corridor, which runs directly through the heart of the building. It’s an engineering marvel, particularly given the type of research which is conducted in this building. It was designed to achieve a Silver LEED rating and has a lovely, soaring, five-story atrium. The interior has a quiet elegance, while the exterior is unassuming. The best part of this corner of the MIT campus is the contrast between this building and the Stata Center across the street, designed by Frank Gehry.
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And, last but not least, my whole family loves Boston Children's Museum, designed by Cambridge Seven Associates Inc., which is Boston's first Gold LEED certified museum. The project is known for its fabulous use of both interior and exterior materials, and the landscape activates the waterfront in a playful way. The addition solves the Museum’s previous interior circulation problems, and the new glass armature opens up the space to striking views of the Charles River and downtown Boston.
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| Photo © Robert Benson |
One of my favorite restaurants is Oleana on Hampshire Street in Cambridge. It has great Arabic-influenced food (some Turkish influences, too), plus great service, and a neighborhood-restaurant feel. The dishes are layered with flavor and offer unusual spice combinations. Ana Sortun was voted the 2005 Best Chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation. Don’t miss the Sultan’s Delight and the Baked Alaska for dessert.
Another great favorite of mine is Grill 23 [in Boston’s Back Bay], a simply superb steakhouse. Wonderful atmosphere and terrific food—a can't miss for the beef-eater and seafood enthusiast alike! Don't miss the macaroni and cheese side dish, which is delicious!
And, last but not least, check out Redbones for its down-home barbeque in Davis Square near Tufts University on the Red Line. Informal and filled with local color.
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