Despite a rocky start, the 30 years old John Hancock Tower has become Boston's greatest example of modern architecture.
"It is all grown up now. Aloof yet alluring. Tall and graceful. An icon, forever blue, at the dawn of middle age.
The John Hancock tower turns 30 this week. Looming 60 stories over the Back Bay, it was once assailed as a skyline monster, an ill-mannered interloper in buttoned-down Copley Square.
Today, the city that checks its reflection in the tower's signature skin has largely dismissed its ugly past as an amusing piece of local lore, like the Bambino's curse or Curley's chicanery at City Hall. Few can summon an image of Boston without it -- or would want to."
FULL STORY: The Hancock Tower at 30: Behind the Looking Glass
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Can We Please Give Communities the Design They Deserve?
Often an afterthought, graphic design impacts everything from how we navigate a city to how we feel about it. One designer argues: the people deserve better.
Southern Californians Survey Trees for Destructive Oak Pest
Hundreds of volunteers across five counties participated in the first Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz, surveying oak trees for signs of the invasive beetle and contributing valuable data to help protect Southern California’s native woodlands.
Opinion: How Geothermal HVAC Lowers Costs, Improves Grid Resilience
Geothermal heating and cooling systems can reduce energy costs and dramatically improve efficiency.
Tenant Screening: A Billion-Dollar Industry with Little Oversight. What’s Being Done to Protect Renters?
Reports show that the data tenant screening companies use is often riddled with errors and relies on information that has no bearing on whether someone will be a good tenant.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)