Back Bay is famous for its rows of Victorian homes, which according to wikipedia are considered one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States. The neighborhood’s name refers to when this now trendy part of the city was marsh. Now a shopping, business and residential district, fans of architecture will recognize most of the residential buildings date from the late 19th and early 20th century.
When I first moved into Boston, I lived in the Back Bay and I’ll always consider the neighborhood home. Below are a series of photographs from Back Bay.
The neighborhood blends the old with the new beautifully. The photos above are from opposing buildings at the intersection of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue. The modern building on the left was designed by Frank Gehry in 1989. By contrast the re-purposed building across the street provides a glimpse of Boston’s past.
When I first moved to Boston the building above which dates back to 1899 was home to Waterstone’s Bookstore and was one of my favorite places to spend time when the weather wasn’t agreeable. The building is now home to a Montessori school and a restaurant.
Above is a trompe l’oeil to add some interest to what otherwise would be the back of a concrete building that is home to the Boston Architectural College and behind it is the Prudential building which dominates the Back Bay skyline.
BosGuy 