 The design is a wonderful example of how a simple issue&mdash;in this case, providing shelter and dispersing rainwater&mdash;can lead to a poetic solution. The two roof forms, basically flat, are subtly curved and molded to divert rainwater to a tidal pool. The result is a functional and beautifully sculptural form. It will be a pleasure to stand under this shelter and a pleasure to view it from above, as many people who work in surrounding high-rise buildings will. How appropriate that this building, which serves travelers in the waters of the Boston Harbor, celebrates water. The construction photographs included in the honor award entry exhibit the architect`s careful attention to detail. The client is to be commended for this handsome, durable structure, which could have been just another utility building. Instead, it is an uncommonly beautiful contribution to the public realm. The jury thought this project showed great confidence on the part of the designer. One jury member commented, "I wish I had thought of that!" 

Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion

 Vivien Li, President of the Boston Harbor Association, talks about how her association helped preserve the Boston Harbor Islands. 

Tim Love, architect, discusses the context and location of the Harbor Islands Pavilion. 

Tim Love, architect, discusses the fabrication of the Harbor Islands Pavilion. The beams had to be split into ribbons; a computer model helped with the design.

Tim Love, architect, discusses the form of the Harbor Islands Pavilion. 

Architect Tim Love discusses the innovation of the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion.

The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is a linear park in downtown Boston, created from the demolition of the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway as part of the Big Dig project. It is named for the matriarch of the Kennedy family, who was born in the nearby North End. Officially opened in October 2008, the 17-acre Greenway stretches over one mile through several neighborhoods, including Chinatown, the Financial District, the Waterfront, and the North End.The Greenway’s design and planning were guided by the Boston 2000 Plan, which allocated 75% of the land to open space and public facilities. The park features landscaped gardens, promenades, plazas, fountains, and specialty lighting systems. Notable design contributions include Chinatown Park by Carol R. Johnson Associates and Chinese landscape architect Yu Kongjian, Dewey Square by Machado and Silvetti Associates and Utile, Inc., and the Wharf District Parks by AECOM and Copley Wolff Design Group.The Greenway is maintained by the non-profit Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, which oversees its operations, events, and programs. The park serves as a vibrant urban space, connecting various parts of the city and providing a green oasis in the heart of Boston.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway

Robert Brown talks about the conversion of the big highway in Boston into an inhabitable and programmed greenway. The greenway has become a breath of fresh air in the city.

 Professor Alex Krieger about the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. 

 Professor Alex Krieger talks about the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. 

Architect Tim Love discusses the design of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. 

Architect Tim Love discusses the redevelopment of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway. 

The Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 149 Dudley Street in historic Nubian Square, is one of the largest branches in the BPL system. Originally called the Dudley Library, it opened in its current location in April 1978 and was designed by Kallmann and McKinnell Architects in the Brutalist style. The branch features a Spanish language collection, an extensive African American collection, and a Nutrition Lab that serves as the library’s hub for nutrition literacy.The branch underwent a significant $17.2 million renovation, completed in 2020, led by the design firm Utile. This renovation aimed to transform the previously introverted and closed-off Brutalist structure into a more open, inviting space. Key design changes included replacing concrete and glass block walls with transparent windows, moving the entrance to Dudley Street for better visibility, and creating a welcoming plaza. The renovation also introduced modern amenities such as a technology teaching lab, a nutrition lab with a full kitchen, and expanded computer stations.

Boston Public Library - Roxbury Branch

Boston City Hall was a part of a major urban redesign effort in downtown Boston during the 1960's, a project which replaced Scollay Square with Government Center, which included City Hall and the City Hall Plaza. One of the most famous examples of so-called brutalist architecture, the design by Kallmann McKinnell &amp; Knowles was the unanimous winner in an international design competition. The building is famously polarizing and remains controversial to this day. Praised by many working within architecture and related professions for its vision, it has equally been criticized by workers, neighbors and other Bostonians as an unfriendly eyesore. There have recently been proposals both to demolish the building and to declare it a landmark.

Boston City Hall and Public Spaces

 Susan Park, President of the Boston Preservation Alliance, discusses the controversial design of Boston City Hall. 

 Professor Alex Krieger talks about the subject of Boston's City Hall. 

 Professor Alex Krieger discusses the architecture of the plaza for Boston City Hall. 

 David Fixler talks about the City Hall's history beginning with the competition held in 1961, which Kallmann McKinnell &amp; Wood won, and about the origins of Brutalism and its crude, unapologetic architectural language. 

 Architect Henry Wood discusses his firm's architectural work. 

Mark Pasnik talks about the attributes of heroic architecture in Boston.

Utile is a Boston-based design firm that operates like a think tank, focusing on solving complex urban problems through intelligent and pragmatic approaches. They engage in both theoretical issues that frame policy and the practical implementation of architectural commissions. Utile’s work is research-based, aiming to develop innovative solutions for urban development and construction.The firm is known for its rigorous approach to design and planning, which includes projects such as the renovation of the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library and the Boston Coastal Flood Resilience Design Guidelines. Utile’s team thrives on addressing regulatory processes, client needs, and budget constraints while maintaining design excellence.

Utile, Inc.

IMAGE ALBUMS

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Boston City Hall and Public Spaces ALBUM

2
Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion ALBUM

3
Boston Public Library - Roxbury Branch ALBUM

SITES

PLAYLISTS CURATED by Utile, Inc.