FEDERAL RESERVE BANK BUILDING (BOSTON)

The 'Federal Reserve Bank Building' is Boston's third-tallest building. Located in the downtown neighborhood by Boston Harbor and South Station called Dewey Square, the building is marked by a distinctive opening near ground level which allows sea breezes to pass through. The building was completed in 1977 and is 614 feet (187 meters) tall with 32 floors. It was designed by Hugh Stubbins Jr. of The Stubbins Associates, Inc. and was reportedly one of his favorite buildings.^[1] For over sixty years Reserve Banks had been fortress-like in their
design; the new Boston Bank was quite a contrast.^[2] It sometimes referred to as "the washboard" building^[3] or "Venetian Blind" building^[4]

Contents

Architectural Details

Awards

See also

External links

References

Architectural Details

The main features are a two-tower with a glass front and aluminum-sheathed sides.^[5]
From the Bank's website ''The office tower linked to a four-story wing was erected between December 1972 and November 1974. The architects designed the tower office floors that rise from a 140-foot bridge "suspended" in the air between two end cores. A 600 ton major steel structure truss marks the beginning of the tower's "office in the air." The exterior is natural anodized aluminum, which acts as a curtain wall and weatherproof facing. The aluminum spandrels shade the building interior from the sun in the summertime and allow more sunlight in the winter months.''^[6]
It features an auditorium that is named for Frank E. Morris. Moris was the President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston from 1968 to 1988. It was designed to meet the Bank’s needs and is also available to the community, it offers lunchtime concerts as well.^[2]
Gardens are encorporated above street level.^[2]
The computer room was the first to house a Fedwire communications switch.^[2]
There are surveillance cameras on the Federal Reserve Bank building.^[10]

Awards

The New England Regional Council, AIA Award for Excellence in Architecture, 1979^[11]

See also

★ List of tallest buildings in Boston

External links

★ Photos

★ Building detail

References

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/arts/design/11stubbins.html (New York Times, July 11, 2006)
2. http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/conf/conf45/conf45h.pdf
3. http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/0809/news_1-2.html
4. http://www.massvacation.com/jsp/page.jsp?org_id=empty&cat=43&g=®ion=empty
5. http://history.enotes.com/peoples-chronology/year-1977/architecture-real-estate
6. http://www.bos.frb.org/about/history/index.htm
7. http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/conf/conf45/conf45h.pdf
8. http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/conf/conf45/conf45h.pdf
9. http://www.bos.frb.org/economic/conf/conf45/conf45h.pdf
10. http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/theyre_watching_you
11. http://www.stubbins.us/Content.aspx?pageContentId=100014