500 Boylston Street
Encyclopedia
500 Boylston Street is a Post-Modern building located in the Back Bay section of Boston and part of the city's High Spine
, completed in 1985. It sits next to the landmark Trinity Church, Boston
. It dominates the western half of the city block bounded by Boylston
, Clarendon and Berkeley streets and St. James Avenue. It was designed by John Burgee
Architects with Philip Johnson
, with structural engineering by LeMessurier Consultants
and MEP/FP engineering by Cosentini Associates, Inc. The construction project was managed by Bond Brothers. It cost $100,000,000 to build. The site contains approximately 137000 square feet (12,727.7 m²) of land area, with approximately 500 feet (152.4 m) of frontage on Boylston Street.
The first six floors are retail
and small office space. Above that there is a 19-story office tower with Class A office space. It has approximately 715000 square feet (66,425.7 m²) of office space. It has an underground parking lot for 1,000 cars that it shares with 222 Berkeley Street.
topping slab on a steel frame. The 25-story superstructure is founded on 6 feet (1.8 m) thick foundation mat bearing on clay. The 6-story low-rise is founded on spread footings, hold down piles (tension piles) and 24 inches (609.6 mm) pressure slab designed to resist a hydrostatic head
of approximately 25 feet (7.6 m). The parking garage is made up of slurry wall
construction.
The building's distinctive design includes carved rose granite cladding with two-story windows, a vaulted copper roof line, and strong exterior column detailing. The design, by John Burgee Architects with Philip Johnson as Design Consultant, also includes a main building entrance through a courtyard, framed on each side by two symmetrical wings, each faced with soaring columns.
. the fictional law firm Crane, Poole & Schmidt's Boston office is located on the building's 14th, 15th and 28th floors.
High Spine
Boston's High Spine is an architectural planning design that arose in 1961, designed by the Committee of Civic Design, part of the Boston Society of Architects...
, completed in 1985. It sits next to the landmark Trinity Church, Boston
Trinity Church, Boston
Trinity Church in the City of Boston, located in the Back Bay of Boston, Massachusetts, is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The current rector is The Reverend Anne Bonnyman...
. It dominates the western half of the city block bounded by Boylston
Boylston Street
Boylston Street is the name of a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Another Boylston Street runs through Boston's western suburbs....
, Clarendon and Berkeley streets and St. James Avenue. It was designed by John Burgee
John Burgee
__notoc__John Burgee is an American architect noted for his contributions to Postmodern architecture. He was a partner of Philip Johnson from 1967 to 1991, creating together the partnership firm Johnson/Burgee Architects. Their landmark collaborations together included Pennzoil Place in Houston...
Architects with Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
, with structural engineering by LeMessurier Consultants
LeMessurier Consultants
LeMessurier Consultants is a Cambridge, Massachusetts firm, founded by William LeMessurier in 1961. It provides engineering support services to architects and construction firms. They focus on advanced structural techniques and impacts to construction materials...
and MEP/FP engineering by Cosentini Associates, Inc. The construction project was managed by Bond Brothers. It cost $100,000,000 to build. The site contains approximately 137000 square feet (12,727.7 m²) of land area, with approximately 500 feet (152.4 m) of frontage on Boylston Street.
The first six floors are retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and small office space. Above that there is a 19-story office tower with Class A office space. It has approximately 715000 square feet (66,425.7 m²) of office space. It has an underground parking lot for 1,000 cars that it shares with 222 Berkeley Street.
Material
The structural design is made up of composite beams and girders supporting steel deck and concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
topping slab on a steel frame. The 25-story superstructure is founded on 6 feet (1.8 m) thick foundation mat bearing on clay. The 6-story low-rise is founded on spread footings, hold down piles (tension piles) and 24 inches (609.6 mm) pressure slab designed to resist a hydrostatic head
Hydrostatic head
When generating hydropower, the head is a general term used to describe the distance that a given water source has to fall before the point where power is generated. Ultimately the force responsible for hydropower is gravity, so a hydroelectricity plant with a tall/high head can produce more...
of approximately 25 feet (7.6 m). The parking garage is made up of slurry wall
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
construction.
The building's distinctive design includes carved rose granite cladding with two-story windows, a vaulted copper roof line, and strong exterior column detailing. The design, by John Burgee Architects with Philip Johnson as Design Consultant, also includes a main building entrance through a courtyard, framed on each side by two symmetrical wings, each faced with soaring columns.
Awards
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Building of the Year Award, 2005
- EPA's Sustained Excellence in Energy Management award in 2004
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Building of the Year Award, 2001
- ENERGY STAR certification Label, 2000
- Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Building of the Year Award, 1996
Television
500 Boylston Street is also seen on the television show Boston LegalBoston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
. the fictional law firm Crane, Poole & Schmidt's Boston office is located on the building's 14th, 15th and 28th floors.