A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY by Mario yufo of Technology Massachusetts Institute 1974 B.S.A.D. Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture the at MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY May 1979 I Signature of the MARIO RUFO 1979 author.... Depa Certified by ... r.-.* Richard ...............-. ,.f..-f.-.r Tr maglio, of Architecture May II, 1979 men Adjujc I* Professor of Architecture Thesis Supervisor ............................. Professor Imre Halasz, Chairman ArchiveoDepartmental Committee for Graduate Students Accepted by..... ............. AUG 14 1077 TABLE OF CONTENT Abstract .................... 3 Introduction .................... 4 Program .................... 7 Site .................... 12 Planning Objectives .................... 13 Design Objectives .................... 18 The Design .................... 22 The Drawings ..................... 27 ..................... 43 The Model -2- ABSTRACT A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY MARIO RUFO Submitted to the Department of Architecture on May II, 1979 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture This project, centered around the Boston Central Artery, extends from N. Washington st. to Congress st. in downtown Boston. The Central Artery represents an intimidating wall of steel isolating the North-End and the waterfront area from the rest of the city. The purpose of this project then, is,on one hand,to alliviate some of the problems created by its presence such as: the disruption of street continuity, the curtailment of access to the North-End and the waterfront, the congestion of vehicular traffic; and on the other and most importantly, is to provide a link between the old and historic on one side of Central Artery, and the new on the other; To integrate the urban fabric of the historic to that of the skyscraper. Thesis Supervisor ...................... Adjunct -3- Professo ...... . ............ Tremaglio n Architecture A hard /of INTRODUCTION The Central Artery, besides being sore in downtown Boston today, ample of urban urban fabric It cuts in is, and urban the its city's path, The North-End and oldest historic and the isolating from the The disruption created by and tional others, make ex- in community behind in fact, almost steel. rest of the the city. Artery becomes from Haymarket square edge, an entrance layout a blatant district, the waterfront area are, completely separated The presence in effct, eye- cohesiveness. an enormously intimidating wall of the North-End conspicuous planners' myopia and unsensitivity toward through destroying the most this to Atlantic avenue. area of four Artery's for Sumner of surface vehicular and Callahan and streets traffic the acutest along ramps, tunnels, an exit the discontinuity irraof chaotic and at this point conges ted. Pedestrian movement is With the the curtailment if not downright dangerous. unsafe of access to pedestrians and automobile area has become a closed enclave. effect" caused This "side very fortunate indeed. by -4- the Artery has proved to be By making the area inaccessable has been able mogeneity, couraged to keep its while at the incompatible to outsiders, physical same time character, it the North-End its ethnic ho- has unwillingly dis- land use. The North-End today is onr of Bostos most humanly active neighborhoods.. While the ation in problems the along project the North-End site; Artery's visual blight, other problems the noise, positioning of entry and exits edge the ramps, typify remain the such situas the air pollution, the that need to be dealt with. The project, to Congress therefore, extends those lots are now either used directly under reorganization of This tends, immediate problems reestablishment the repositioning the redistribution the surface streets. on one hand, to solve some of the most such the the Central Artery for parking, or that will be recov- erd with the project street street. It will occupy that from North Washington as : of street of the continuity, Artery's of vehicular ramps, movement, the reestablishment of pedestrian networks. On the other hand and most importantly, link, a connection between the -5- it tends to be a old and historic on one side and It the tends two very new on the other side of the Central Artery. to integrate and provide a transition between the different fabrics -6- THE PROGRAM This project represents a desire to mitigate most blighting influences, It in effect, represents, surrounding the an Central attemt one of Boston Artery. to restructure the area it. It merely represents no program. There are no there is sense there an idea and specifications no area are However, there for requirement no , such being the case there is land use; and in strictly speaking zoning restrictions. are a set of objectives. Physical, environmental, planning, and transportation objectives straints that in upon order the to be physical satisfied sity and mix of use and their envelope exterior treatment public definite a set con- of criteria for den- relationship. buildings, their height and massing, and relationship between private and spaces. Moreover, they would amenities, noise place design. These objectives would establish The volumetric will determine pedestrian networks, open spaces, traffic patterns, levels. -7- visual air quality, and The program use in its development general along a terms strip consists of land street to North-Washington street The development tian calls old and new. The south side of development, will be less were not the of site downtown Boston. office, and residen- while are feasibility the more north appropiate side, of the project, and uses, impact that retail it traffic impact it the need and on top of the Artery. on the Quincy and the North-End market. on the North-End displacement it would cause, what real estate and air pollution such development would have would have a of users. large number market and as and about on residential users surface the North-End, known about projected demands since nothing is accomodate to for example, would have Finally, den- environmental and planning issues which established what effect noise effect for higher facing It was not Faneuil an integration of developed. for different kind of spaces capacity and present, considered. development, The from India the location will require a de- is intensively However, there The goes a mixed- uses. sign continuity between past The that for retail, rental The historical importance sity in of placing if any, would have level. -8- on population, new people the area the coming in. the increased RETAIL REQUIREMENTS The creation of flexible, handle large small to competitive space bussinesses. Since there is the outmost importance. of is no way of predicting maximum visibility and display store as well, an extension of the major designed to tenants, space, flexibility ease of entry, and pedestrian network wereas considerations. RENTAL OFFICE REQUIREMENTS The potential variety to large and corporate of users, firms, from small professionals demand again design flexibility accessability. RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS As for the From small other uses, studio apartments from one level date the income residential space demands apartments largest and social flexibility-. to large ones; to multi-leveled ones and varied number of people levels. -9- as to accomo- from different The purpose is to create a framework for housing that leaves the individual householder with potential responsability for the arrangement of his housing. This will be based on the principle of separation between structure It a At is and infill. the fixed the infill that will carry design flexibility within context. same that is being an time to provide separated a residential from other uses while integral part framework level at the same time of the whole. PARKING REQUIREMENTS Underground parking development commercial OPEN Ample users and facilities will be provided for the as well office as for the users of adjacent facilities. SPACE REQUIREMENTS and adequate some of the pressure proximity, of that is the structures Street lighting, provided open spaces will be provided to relieve inherent, because of the in the North-End. landscaping,and built as well. -I0- close furnishing will be PEDESTRIAN REQUIREMENTS One fundamental of the establish movement very much prerequisite throughout hindered by the of this project is the entire area that is Artery's ramps and the to renow cross-traffic volume. To provide to make through a total the whole area enough pedestrian links as separation between pedestrian and vehicular movement. -II- THE SITE The site will occupy mainly parcels now directly under the Central Artery. Some are used for parking, others amplified with The site the reorganization is defined by Cross New congress, Blackstone, will be of surface street on and Commercial street It seven parcels, four include other three rupted by are the extensions streets. the north side; and Clinton street Atlantic avenue will recovered and on the south; onthe east are quite of long blocks side. large, that were the inter- Artery. However, these boundaries the project at levels higher are somewhat fictitious becouse than ground expands beyond t'hese limits. It, in fact, structures The whole incorporates such as the project It can be Atlantic City Hall, some of the Quincy market, area adjacent to the Artery is of City Hall and uses said, etc. . integral part . therefore, that the project on the west, to Cross street avenue an existing on the east, and India -12- extends from on the north, to street south. on the PLANNING OBJECTIVES The resolution of all pages The is an integral part following planning first step the problems of the area begins The area being considered needs Changes represent, through which the structural in the previous of the design process. objectives process described the therefore, the restructuring of to take place. fundamental and profound changes. that will substantially affect and that will alter in the a dramatic sense physical design, the conditions at ground level. The necessity of of access general chaotic state the is dictated by improvement of confusion the curtailment the Waterfront, that the reorganization of street area is and by the in. layout, of traffic patterns, the establishment the changes toward the North-End and They include the these of pedestrian repositioning and removal of networks. the Artery's ramps, of expressway the separation the reestablishment of street and local traffioI continuity. -13- entry and exits THE REORGANIZATION OF STREET LAYOUT AND THE REESTABLISHMENT OF STREET CONTINUITY The movement of End is the street removal and south-bound; the removal of of the ON caused by , be the ON traffic to the North- interruption the Artery's further OFF ramps, north, to New Congress of Hanover ramps. ramp south-bound, and the ramp notth-bound extended the of Callahan tunnel's run continuously up will vehicular being curtailed mainly by and Cross With pedestrian and north-bound repositioning Hanover street will street, while Cross from North-Washington street st. to Atlantic avenue. By connecting major streets, Cross st. to North-washington New Sudbury and New Chardon, another regional entrance point alleviate the into st and two other we would have the North-End that can traffic volume now using North st and Atlantic avenue. On the east side join Clinton st. front, while the of the site as well, valuable parcels permitting easy road running under to Atlantic ave. will be of Atlantic meanwhile, eliminated land. - If- the , access ave. will to the water Artery and parallel gaining at same time THE REESTABLISHMENT OF PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS Movement ramps, It all along the cross will project site is hindered by Artery's traffic, interrupted streets, certainly be waterfront, with facilitated, the toward and parkings the North-End reconnection of Hanover st. lots. the and Cross street. Carrying the level of City Hall New Congress street, the plaza into and c.ontinuing it the site, over over Atlantic separation of pedestrian and vehicular avenue, traffic would be accomplished. Furthermore, by bringing and Endicott st. into the the pedestrian flow of Salem street site, we would have reestablished the historic movement pattern. By bringing the same diagonal into the other only would we have the same recognizable pattern the site, throughout environmental north-south trate purposes axis accross the , it light, long blocks -15- being it air, and under not and understandable the diagonal pattern would as well, allows two parcels aligned with and the people serve the to pene- Central Artery. THE IMPROVEMENT AND REDISTRIBUTION OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC PATTERNS Many traffic problems and entrance that come expressway traffic. conflicts and It of the would seem problems will that, be the Central Artery, on two tunnels, this points, between the "connector" that Expressway at Congress achieve, expresway the two tunnels, the separations between local and in fact, traffic. take up, and local then, access With tunnels- expressway the traffic. Artery will,then, assume more The far as to as directly to the regional traffic, st. and connected "connector" would The the character of a limited expressway. the "connector as and tunnels, the city, a link between of many the the the expressway, ramps would cease to serve any purpose. In fact, bound, the reduced. could extend from the we would local traffic levels, two of an underground circle, of the result With the construction Leverett the exit a direct by separating greately at are at to exist, and the Callahan tunnel OFF ramps, the ON ramp and the North Station OFF ramp can while the the ON ramp north-bound will be -16- all be south- removed; repositioned further north. The Haymarket tunnel The tunnels' the place of the Callahan exit and entrance will remain and used exclu- local a consequence surface take OFF ramp. sively by As OFF ramp will traffic. of these major interventions, traffic will organization of the far less street intensive; the and with local the re- layout, pedestrian and vehicular movements will be a lot more rational -17- and a lot less hazardous. DESIGN The design to provide to integrate of the objectives of this a link between the urban OBJECTIVES the fabric project and the new; old of are: the distric historic to that skyscraper; to provide a gradual transition between the two very different fabrics; to provide a continuity of activities to provide an integration of usages erated will be humanly active By taking advantage Hall plaza, of the level higher introduce These paths than complete ship between resented as the element in themselves Spatial which takan out compositin,that is, generated. a different way of con- an agglomerate and in which and the destroyed at of single the relation- totality summation brtween the parts is day. the city. single element the places gen- a network of ground level, were and the balance so obtained is single that the change existing between City is not perceived here as structures level; the most part of the and represent ceiving and understanding the city such the North-End and the Waterfront, pedestrian paths, The for at street may be rep- and the whole the moment a of context. is not the individually conceived buildings -I8- only means through are grouped together. It is instead embraces self conceived as the in other words, though the the of and evolve There the total are introduces system in in which the totality which image is not basically altered, even taken out or different ones "linkage"or units and "network" as system are added. the generator closely integrated together. is no hierarchy between the element and the system. The concept may be new, nevertheless some of our best and towns --were built In these places is non One using precisely the same cities principle. the distinction between totality and elements existent. generates integrated. they it- elements. some elements concept a totality and is generated by the other, These places, took generations they are totally however, grew in an organic manner; of men working over decades and centuries of time. The link here, for the most part, of space between elements is external, in which shapes became the visually organizing fac- tor. In our environment, we build in a very therefore, fully we must, Linkage is simply the which we unite Insofar as the all city able and humanly the is ,abbreviated time comprehend what glue of layers the It this concept involves. is the act through of activity. successful, understood city. span, entity. -I9- the city will be a recogniz(= Linkage,% then, spatial, This social, project just is more than and tends temporal to the a physical entity; as well. realization of this principle. While we have been successful in making unified plexes with street forms at ground level, linkage, we have fallen short dimensional sense, In fact, a high-rise building Here, as we the are concept the high-rise in denies us understandable, the in order and part of to make the level the same its many layers, brought to to us, the city or vertically. and activities is through represent,literally, streets The proposed paths of living environment. other with its them transparent a new way of moving at ground experience linkage The project proposes than in a three- elevators. of three-dimensional towers as-, in some medieval town. form and the experience of rising through enclosed and com- and piazzas in achieving it exept maybe it is uses that make in the them so air, viable ground level. They connect the city by interrelating much of the existing structure. These paths would flow from high-rise to high-rise, from building to building, from structure to structure. By opening up these paths these structures into them and up as -20- at these levels, the structures by bringing rise, the at part of a total environmental experi- structures would become essential to our understanding of them, is ence that their surrounding. relationship to their then acter of diversified activities structures By bringing into these uses, and and only then, these paths would assume the and char- streets. the We must percieve our urban society namic entity of introduced in interrelated its and urban forces, change context will field as a dy- any new element and its equilibrium as time passes. As system the arises always an be a kind to grow of diverse linkage and expand. system and the new element will in system in an diverse itself. one of city a new kind of choise offers that character can live is district old historic gives morphological demonstration of and It able one. integral Bringing such It is relationship between the the replace obsolete structures goes by, and the need to time in an the ever changing life. to people: the possibility a historically blessed place new house. -2I- in a THE DESIGN This project's that is It runs goal was to overcome the intimidating barrier Central Artery. the accross the the movement entire site, at ground level, and being it assumes perpendicular to an even more awesome aspect. It seemed zontal that trust the best way of overcoming the powerful hori- of the Artery would have been to establish a diagonal movement throughout A diagonal movement and Marshall street that would on one street and Faneuil Hall on that would A movement bring the into streets the and air to built-form would have Opening up the the is of the the site. corners the site; and Commercial optimal lot corners would the of each north-south through filter the the the other. free site; by building up led up over continue into Endicott, Salem, side Moreover, it would align'with allow light site. the parcel axis site, and and would while the solar orientation. tend to bring movement ground, gradually into the movement the Artery. Reinforcing the vertical movement and visible elevators at this point and stairway shafts. -22- are exposed established with A continuity of material is with built The ground the same material as that form in this is the case system, either vertical or It also represents of the historic district. generator of the movement diagonal. infill, being it the the ground form Central Artery, while the Artery under and around the itself represents uni- the fying structure. call The and the built The outside assume the the non-built corner of the "built" the one, same diagonal movement stand what to the directions At opposite one fabric, has lot forms. aspects. to distinct to closest I the historic texture, and scale of fabric will the historic dis- trict. The "non-built" side will be level, of as to alleviate the left open, of pressure of the the North-End. North-End Artery diagonal movement -23- course, at ground closely knit fabric The south it side of lot will be more intensively built, being closer to the new part of The north side, volumetric The the element as the city. the North-End, relationship internal material toward the with the the "built" of other, is of a Character that will change will old place itself in a fabric. corner, different while of the same character. as we move up, and as the uses ch ane . the character, here, is dictated principally by the need, again, of bringing the movement up over the Artery. Again, the vertical movement elevators By and stairway repeating a system is the same beginning A system that is reinforced by the exposed shafts. diagrammatic process to take can define the over the next site shape. part and is in itself definable. repetitive Artery -24- elements By having introduced more we have than one created allink. Of course, what will link the trust the of the Artery; reinforcing Once common factor in each part, the this entire project is common design elements the horizontal will help linkage. common elements are established the system is deter- mined. With the determination of the system,then, each take a different the totality. The two built character of its forms on the rental office, will share south the parcels own and still be part side, used by the could of retail same vertical movement, will be part of a pedestrian network that will include and and the ground form. The accessability network and up we This represent level are enough reach level is astreet in the air. and use that for most of the of the pedestrian will doing whole while offering new activities the the -25- viable adjacent to become parts of the and uses. level, residential be day. structures In so higher,to it connected to existing structures the Artery. Moving part the main pedestrian level. activities and humanly active This as are very important factors here. As we move There the store thepedes-trian net- work will assume a different It will become more private, will pertain solely The framework and in creating the The infill with activities and uses that to residential users. separation of the essential character. the units infill is design flexibility necessary. is what determines the size and shape of the units. The purpose is to create a framework for housing that individual householder with potential responsability arrangment of his housing. leaves for the PAGE 27 TRAFFIC PATITERNS UNDERGROUND SURFACE CONNECTOR STREETS A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY 0 A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY %is 10z~ \Lv Ii I k r< LN41-IN7, 2 0 1 0 I A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY CRCOSS ST I' H r~.. g U U L§III~N 4 42 A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY PAGE 36 m LOWER LEVEL APARTMENT SECTION THROUGH I- LL-- - EF 4 TYPICAL APARTMENT UPPER LEVEL I- U - 'r- i- I- I- I ~i i __ ---4" TYPICAL APARTMENT LOWER LEVEL II' SECTION -LA.k JUl rFTI4d THROUGH UPPER LEVEL APARTMENT A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY I ALI MENEM* SCALE =8' ==mmi PARKING . - -- - - - I RKING PA r /AFP\ K\i 14% SECTION A-A 0 A PROJECT AR~OUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY 16 SC K)PAGE L 37 "6 -4 RETAIL I f-WU Xii '4~~) _______________ _____ B-B SECTION 0I2 SCALE I1"40 A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY PA(,GE38 - I PAC~E 38 m -- I I PRKG PRKG PRKG SECTION C-C rm-r-j A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY SCALE PAGE 39 I"=16' . mww SECTION D-D 0 A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY L1 SCALE I"=40' PAGE 40 "" 7 M millikiL 11 !zzzzzz~~UI ~ 11 rvA7, SECTION E-E 0I4 Gr-trF-" A PROJECT AROUND THE BOSTON CENTRAL ARTERY I 40' SCAL E I"= P4 'AGE 41 PAGE 42 S SAL ISM r IL L 3 THE MODEL VIEW -. 1 FROM THE SOUTH PAGE 413 V F T- -'}ev" ivi PAGE 44 §4 VIEW FROM T-IE SOUTH PAGE 45 VIEW FROM THE EAST PAGE 46 4. 77~ U 4 U - sans A# *. VIEW FROM THE WEST PAGE 47 4 VIEW FROM THE NORTH