Building Materials

PHOTO CREDIT: Amesse Photography

In front of the new 17-story, 425,000 square foot LEED Platinum office tower on 888 Boylston street sits an intriguing landscape sculpture, inspired from the wind patterns of the site. A series of stainless steel woven light columns sit among large granite forms, while wind veins rotate on the columns to signal the intensity of wind with changing color.

Longevity and durability were behind the architects choice in using granite, along with the beauty that would complement the surrounding high end structures. Precision and detail were a top priority for creating the intricate shape of the granite pieces of the sculpture. Approximately 1,650 ft of NSC 373 Platinum certified Mesabi Black® granite in a textured finish was chosen to create these fluid forms. The granite forms become curbing, steps or seating depending on where you are within the space. To construct these pieces the manufacturers technological capabilities proved essential. The architect provided Rhino files which were then reproduced via the manufacturers five-axis CNC (computer-numeric control) machines. The end result is the production of complex shapes that could not be achieved by hand in the same timeframe or budget. This technology allowed for the creation of complex designs out of stone that were traditionally impossible to achieve.

The intricate granite sculpture provides an appealing and useful space in front of the new commercial building.

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