Boston City Hall could be both visually appealing and a symbol of environmental consciousness, architect Franziska Amacher told a small group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students Friday, while presenting her plan for the building’s renovation.
Her plan, which calls for opening up the building, making it easier to maintain its interior and creating work space, would have an overall cost of about $57 million, Amacher said. The renovation would pay for itself in about eight years with money saved on energy costs.
‘I think what’s really needed is more leadership to show people what you can do to help,’ Amacher said. ‘It can really change people’s lifestyles and help them become more environmentally conscious.’
Comparable buildings use half as much energy to heat and cool their interiors than City Hall, Amacher said. City Hall produces a yearly carbon output equivalent to burning 6.7 million gallons of gasoline, Amacher, a member of the Green City Team Core Group, said. The group campaigns for environmental sustainability throughout Boston.
Amacher said lack of concern for appearance has led to the building’s demise. Renovations of the building, including security grates that limit sunlight through its ceiling windows, were made without regards to its visual or artistic values, she said.’ ‘ ‘ ‘
‘When you go into this building, it’s so dark,’ Amacher said. ‘You go into the city council and all the lights are different colors. They just don’t care.’
Amacher also recently presented her plan for green renovation to the City Council after being’ invited to do so by Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty. Renovation is one alternative to Mayor Thomas Menino’s controversial proposal to move City Hall from its historic location to one in South Boston, she said.
‘This is not exactly a good approach if we want to have Boston redefine itself in a sustainable world,’ Amacher said.
The need for a redesign received national attention in November, when readers and editors of VirtualTourist.com voted Boston City Hall the ugliest building in the world, Amacher said.
Amacher’s presentation was part of ‘Business as UnUsual,’ a series of lectures hosted by MIT’s Western Hemisphere Project, a student run group that promotes awareness about cultural, political and environmental issues.’ ‘ ‘
Cindy Snodgrass, MIT artist-in-residence, said the event was a celebration of green lifestyles.
‘We wanted people and their families to come together to learn about the environment,’ she said.
Froylan Sifuentes, a MIT senior said the group also does a lot of work acting as translators for the Boston community when they are not hosting speakers such as Amacher.
‘We’ve been involved with helping immigrants overcome language barriers,’ Sifuentes, a native of Huejutla, Mexico, said.
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