One International Place Building

One International Place Building
  1. About the One International Place Building in Boston
  2. Architect and team
  3. Architectural style
  4. Spaces and uses
  5. Structure and materials

The One International Place Building is a Postmodernist skyscraper designed by Johnson/Burgee Architects, and built in 1987 in Boston, MA.

One International Place Building is not the only name you might know this building by though. The building is, or has also been known as Fort Hill Square.

Its precise street address is 100 Oliver Street, Boston, MA. You can also find it on the map here.

The building has three distinct elements: the tower itself and two smaller components of 27 and 19 floors, respectively.

It is one of the towers in a complex of five structures, anchored by two towers. The One International Place is linked to Two Internacional Place by a fountain court and winter garden.

The building underwent a major restoration in 2023. The architect commissioned to undertake this restoration was Gensler.

Building's timeline

Construction completed
1987
37
a
Restoration
2023
1
years ago
2024
  1. 2023 - Renovation of the entrance by enhancing it and adding protective glass canopies. Improvements to the storefronts of the retail shops in the building. The architect in charge was Gensler.

Architect and team

Johnson/Burgee Architects was the architecture firm in charge of the architectural design.

Johnson/Burgee Architects was a prominent American architectural firm founded in 1968 by renowned architects Philip Johnson and John Burgee.

Philip Johnson was initially one of the greatest advocates for the International Style. However, by the late 1960s, he began questioning the constraints of this style and started leaning towards Postmodernism.

It was particularly during his partnership with John Burgee that Johnson explored more expressive, historical, and often whimsical designs, reflecting the evolving architectural landscape of the 1970s and 1980s.

Johnson/Burgee Architects was a leader in redefining corporate architecture in the late 20th century. The firm became known for its influential role in the Postmodern architecture movement and gained recognition for its innovative and bold designs, often characterized by classical references, bold forms, and a departure from the minimalist principles of Modernism.

However, the partnership between Johnson and Burgee began to unravel in the late 1980s as they started to disagree on management and creative directions. The firm’s financial difficulties escalated, and it ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1991, with Burgee suing Johnson for financial mismanagement.

Johnson Burgee Architects

That being said, architecture is a complex discipline involving many professionals from different fields, without whom this building would have not been possible. We will surely be leaving out a lot of names here, but here is a list of the people we do know also played their part in making the One International Place Building a reality:

  • McNamara . Salvia in charge of Structural Engineering
  • The Chiofaro Company as the Main Developer

Architectural Style

The One International Place Building can be categorized as a Postmodernist building.

Postmodernism in architecture emerged in the United States during the late 1960s as a reaction against the starkness of the International Style, which part of the new generation of architects argued was too impersonal, sterile, and disconnected from historical and cultural contexts.

Postmodernism challenged the International Style's austerity by reintroducing historical elements and ornamentation, although this time not as literally as in the Neo-Classic buildings. Instead, they reinterpreted them within the context of modern materials and construction techniques.

Postmodern buildings often feature bold, contrasting colors, unconventional forms, and a playful blend of various architectural elements from different eras and cultures.

In the United States, Postmodernism was not just an aesthetic choice but also a philosophical stance. It represented a democratization of design, where architects sought to create buildings that were accessible and meaningful to a broader range of people, not just designers and intellectuals.

The One International Place Building was completed in 1987. At that time Postmodernism was the prevailing style. Fresh, bold and daring, architects were exploring the freedom of designing without having to follow the strict, sometimes arbitrary rules of a specific architectural movement (which ironically became a movement itself). The One International Place Building was therefore every much in line with what the architecture community, and the people liked and wanted at the time.

Spaces & Uses

The One International Place Building reaches an architectural height of 600ft (183m). It has a total of 46 floors, served by 6 elevators, which combined offer a total of 1,025,003 sqf (95,226m2) of usable space.

In regards to parking space, the building has a total of 400 spots available, which roughly equals 9 spots per floor (above ground), or one parking spot per every 2,562 sqf (238m2) of usable space.

Ever since opening its doors to the public in 1987, the One International Place Building has mainly been used as Commercial space.

600ft (183m)

Materials & Structure

The One International Place Building uses a frame structure made of steel columns and reinforced concrete slabs.

A frame structure uses a combination of beams and columns to sustain the building's weight. The walls in this case are non-load bearing, which allows for more flexibility when distributing the interior spaces.

The facade uses a window wall system, which by itself is non-load-bearing. However, in this case, the facade is technically load-bearing, since there are structural elements that have been integrated into it, adirectly influencing the facade’s design.

Window walls are easier to install than curtain walls, often resulting in reduced construction time and cost. However, the exposed edge of the slabs, and in this case other structura elements too, are weak points in terms of thermal insulation. These areas need to be carefully detailed to prevent thermal bridging and potential condensation issues.

Structural Window Wall Facade
Structural Window Wall Facade

From an aesthetic point of view, the facade features a pink granite clad with fixed windows, except for a small section of the building where the facade turns into a curtain wall.

The two lower structures, which are part of the same building follow the same color and material palette, but with Palladian windows instead of squared ones.

Sources

  • es.wikipedia.org
  • www.bostonofficespaces.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • www.usgbc.org
  • wfrjr.com
  • www.loopnet.com
  • rebusinessonline.com
  • bostonfirebox.com