“Bird’s-eye Boston” 3D model exhibit opens in City Hall lobby

Oct 01, 2014

Share your favorite views of the city on Twitter using the hashtag #BirdseyeBoston

The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics have teamed up to launch a new exhibit in the third floor lobby of City Hall that blends public art and urban design. Dubbed “Bird’s-eye Boston,” the installation invites people to explore a three dimensional model of Boston’s downtown. Some of the city’s most iconic buildings are highlighted on the model to help visitors orient themselves to the unique view, and staff will lead brief guided tours that offer insight on the history of downtown’s redevelopment.

 
If you live or work in Boston, odds are you have enjoyed its skyline from many different angles. Millions of visitors each year are treated to impressive views from flights arriving at Logan, as planes descend over the Harbor, gliding just above the water for passengers to gaze out at the Prudential Center, the Hancock Tower, the Federal Reserve, and other downtown landmarks before coming to rest on the tarmac. But the opportunity to take in an aerial view without having to leave the ground is likely a first for many.
 
“If you spend a lot of time in the city, it’s easy to overlook some of the truly special views and destinations that are in our own backyard,” Mayor Walsh said. “The Bird’s-eye Boston exhibit will help activate the main entrance to City Hall and give people an opportunity to learn a bit about the history of buildings in the downtown area.”
 
The exhibit’s curators are encouraging people to share their favorite views of Boston on social media using the hashtag #BirdseyeBoston. Visitors can tweet questions and photos to @BostonRedevelop.
 
The three-dimensional model of Boston’s downtown, which was recently restored by CBT Architects, was originally created by the BRA in 1975 to showcase Boston’s developing skyline. It displays about three square miles of the city (approximately one sixteenth of Boston’s land mass) on a scale that makes the Hancock tower, the city’s tallest building at 790 feet, a diminutive eight inches high. While it doesn’t capture all of the intricate details of Boston’s most recognized structures, the model uses color to differentiate between building types. It has been updated over the years to reflect the current build out of downtown and portions of the Back Bay and Beacon Hill.
 
Starting today and running through mid-December, the exhibit will be located in the third floor lobby of City Hall and open to the public during business hours, which are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
The BRA maintains a larger working model in its offices on the ninth floor that is used to study project proposals and inform city planning initiatives. Visitors to Bird’s-eye Boston are also invited to see the working model. Twice a week, on Monday and Friday afternoons, the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics and the BRA will offer guided tours and answer questions about the working model.
 
“The models are great conversation pieces and learning tools,” said BRA Acting Director Brian Golden. “Urban design is complicated topic, and the exhibit offers an easy way for everyone to discuss how our city is built. We’re excited to be able to share it with the public.”
 
In a city filled with history, the exhibit model has a notable story of its own. In 2004, it was loaned to public safety officials for security planning around the Democratic National Convention.
 
In late December, the model will be moved to a permanent home at Boston Society of Architects’ BSA Space at Atlantic Wharf.