Demolition crews will arrive at 815 Boylston Street in Boston (Mass.) Apple store on Tuesday morning and begin the year-long process of constructing a three-story flagship store there. And in an unprecedented collaboration, ifoAppleStore has joined architectural Web site Architosh to provide on-going coverage of the construction, including an on-site Webcam. At the same time, recently released city documents outline the initial architectural objections raised by the Back Bay Architectural Commission, and how Apple modified its plans to meet those objections.
The Webcam is courtesy of Apple Specialist Tech SuperPowers, located directly behind the future store location on Boylston Street in Boston. Architosh will be providing architectural background and expertise as the demolition and construction work progresses. And of course, ifoAppleStore will provide updates on the construction, as well as live coverage of the grand opening, whenever it occurs.
Looking back, the Back Bay Architectural Commission was initially not prone to allow demolition of the existing building, and didn’t like the “fully-glazed” front windows of the proposed two-story design. The commission said that Apple’s design was “at odds with the bearing-wall construction” of the current building and the existing window treatment. So Apple revised their design to create more vertical structural elements in the storefront.
The second revision projected the structural pillars forward of the floor plates, and the glass and metal planes of the storefront were layered “to evoke the depth of a traditional masonry wall. Apple also added a third story to the building to overcome the commission’s objections that the building didn’t match the height of surrounding buildings, added a rooftop garden, and reduced the height of a mechanical penthouse.
And yet, the commission said the design had not been revised to its complete satisfaction. Nevertheless, the commission voted to approve the project, concluding that, “The applicants had addressed the concerns voiced at prevous hearings…in a responsive and responsible fashion.” The commission set a requirement that construction immediately follow the demolition, and left final details to be worked out by a subcommittee.
In a letter to Apple vice president for retail Bob Bridger announcing its decision, the commission explained why some of its members voted against the proposal. They had objected to the appropriateness of the glass façade in the context of the street, the commission said, even noting “the rigorous standards of maintenance and retail display that such an aesthetic may, for all its acknowledged elegance, prove in practice to demand.” That is, it might be difficult to keep the windows clean and the display windows interesting. Some members also questioned whether the design would be adaptable if the occupancy and use changed in the future. However, the commission noted, “All (members) expressed appreciation of the applicants’ cooperative engagement throughout the review process.”
The commission wasn’t entirely trusting of Apple’s continued cooperation. They ended the letter by stating,”Kindly submit photographs of the completed work to confirm compliance with the terms of this certificate.”
Download (pdf) the commission’s letter here.