Hey, there! Log in / Register

The most ribbetting architecture in Boston

By adamg on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 12:19pm
Giant concrete frog in Boston

Matthew Ireland ponders the Government Service Center downtown - the brutalist building near the brutalist City Hall that houses state mental-health offices and which never got its intended tower.

Copyright Matthew Ireland.

Neighborhoods: 
Downtown
Free tagging: 
Government Service Center


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

By Anon105 on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 12:53pm.

"The Lindemann" or "the Hurley Building", probably dependent on which Secretariat you worked in.

By iMatthew_ on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 9:50pm.

but it's the name for the buildings as originally designed, and is still the correct name for the entire complex. Hurley and Linndemann are two separate, but connected, buildings.

By mg on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 2:20pm.

A building to house a mental health center that has jagged concrete walls (very threatening, statement of "keep away") and menacing frogs that even those who aren't paranoid schizophrenics can't miss. What person dealing with mental health issues would feel comfortable getting near that building?

By BostonDog on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 2:28pm.

Like most big Boston projects of the 1950s and 60s, they had good intentions which were ill-fated. The designer of the building thought an abnormal design and facade would provide some comfort to those who have difficulty understanding the world around them. The idea would be there'd be some kinship with the building for people with mental health illnesses.

It was a horrible idea, much like the destruction of the West End, etc. But in all these cases there was a belief that new technology and architecture could greatly improve Boston.

By iMatthew_ on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 9:59pm.

Well, one could see it that way, but most folks miss the frog entirely--even those who walk past this facade on a regular basis and security guards who work there. I can't tell you how many times I've had to point this feature out (and even then, folks often don't see it right away; "no, over there" "Oh...ah, now I see it." ;)

By The Fox 915 on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 2:20pm.

That design had to chip and chiseled all by hand, the brick layers had to recall retired brickies to complete it. Rumored that the footprint is supposed to be the outline of the state.

By anon on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 3:08pm.

that frog!!! well done

By SalSal on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 6:11pm.

It is really depressing to walk past it as there are no signs of life. The built in benches are blocked off by chain link fences and the entrances are hidden and unwelcoming. It is an ugly color. There is a nearly deserted park in the center of it which provides a short cut between Staniford Street and New Chardon Street if you can figure out how to get in and out.

Thanks for the chance to vent. It's not often that I actually hate a building, but this one is ugly
to its soul.

By BostonDog on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 7:29pm.

I like this, City Hall, and the BU Law Building. (Boston's trifecta of Brutalism.) They are different, interesting, somewhat unique. I don't consider them "good" architecture and I wouldn't want more of them.

But, for the past 30 years everything new has looked the same so these three buildings are somewhat of a pallet cleanser.

By anon on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 10:51pm.

That hidden park is populated by the homeless and opiate addicted that clearly have found the way in and out. The entire area in general swarms with them.

By Lee on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 8:02pm.

... personally love this building. City Hall as well. They have character and style.
What I don’t love are the chrome and glass boxes going up everywhere. Talk about oooogly!

By Aesthete on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 1:30pm.

I agree that the chrome and glass boxes are mostly ugly -- and the skinny glass shards even worse (downtown Boston is starting to look like a pile of broken glass).

But this brutalist crap is even worse -- it's all ugly.

In general, it's a lot easier to design something that's ugly (or formulaic-schlock-pretty) than it is to design something that's original and truly beautiful. That's why you see so much ugly crap: most architects lack talent (true in every field, actually) so they try to redefine their turds as hip or something.

By anon on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 8:12pm.

Was the parking lot at the corner of Staniford and Merrimac supposed to be a landscaped park?

By iMatthew_ on Sun, 10/27/2019 - 10:06pm.

Thanks, Adam, for featuring my photo. Rudolph's Lindemann and Hurley buildings never fail to draw strong opinions. But there are a few more positive ones than usual on this post. Perhaps brutalism really is making a comeback ; )

By anon on Mon, 10/28/2019 - 12:31pm.

There was once talk about building something different in its place. The engineering firm laughed at us and said that the cost to remove or take down would be more than building a new structure.

By Don't Panic on Tue, 10/29/2019 - 3:04pm.

And it's "Deep Thought".