One Canal | A Luxurious Oasis for the Residents of Boston

Article by Lidija Šuster – One Canal, by Copley Wolff Design Group, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Large cities are mainly characterized by tall and expressive buildings, business and educational centers, industrial facilities, shopping malls, and other various types of urban areas. When it comes to residential living many of them offer very luxurious residences, and Boston is no exception. Boston is the capital of Massachusetts, and also the largest city in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Its famous linear park, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, holds many interesting landscapes and places for living, including the One Canal project.

This project is designed by Copley Wolff Design Group, located on the land of Boston’s historic Bulfinch Triangle. The building is not just modern by its construction, but important by its position – it connects three major and vital traffic systems known as the Central Artery, and Orange and Green lines. So, by all means, One Canal represents significant and attractive structure that is ultra-modern and pretty spacious. Twelve stories tall, this building offers 310 deluxe apartments and various types of open public spaces, landscaped in a way that no one can stay indifferent to them.

One Canal

Supporting Life in the Heat of an Urban Area

Considering its capacity and cost, One Canal has a lot to offer for its residents and visitors. Including vast space reserved for residential and retail purposes, this project emits a stunning impression of luxury. From the ground level all the way up to the 12th floor, everything has been carefully planned so that spatial organization provides its fullest potential. According to the building’s planners, the entrance is arranged to visually and historically refer to the Middlesex Canal that once flowed throughout the site.

This only shows one very important fact – if something is constructed in a contemporary way, that does not mean history should be forgotten. Further, using the newest technology, the second and third floor are equipped with all necessary services intended for functionality and people’s wellbeing. That includes much-needed parking, a fitness center, renting spaces, and other features which support life in the heat of urban area. And finally, starting from that point and finishing on the rooftop, the previously-mentioned 310 apartments form a breathtaking luxury block that represent an example of the most modern and tasteful landscape design. The Copley Wolff Design Group (in their own words) provided landscape design services for the streetscape, an amenity roof deck located on the third floor, and a roof-level pool terrace.

Representing Nature

“An amenity roof deck“, so called by the designers, offers a wide range of possibilities for enjoying the space. Curved edges blended with wavy embankments support the natural look, which contributes to the relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. By using bushy ornamental grasses and flowering perennials, designers provided the spatial impression that is not seen very often above the ground.

Following the curvy composition, the amenity roof deck is arranged with mounds that look like little grassy hills, providing a whiff of nature to the residents. With different shapes, sizes, heights, and types of plants, these patches of greenery bring dynamism and vibrancy into the living area. Surrounded by this kind of landscape, the space intended for enjoyment can flourish completely. Private niches, decorated with lighting, equipped with cozy, attractive chairs, make the perfect spot for drinking morning coffee or evening beverages.

As an additional pleasant view, the designers added into the space a custom wall made of recycled wooden material. Its horizontal lines bring a mild contrast to the natural shapes in the landscape, but the piece also harmonizes the use of natural materials – as most of the furniture is made of wood.

Roof Level Pool Terrace

Another stunning part of the One Canal project is its pool terrace located on the roof. Let’s say that majority of people (myself included) are strongly drawn to pools (and other water elements), so implementing this type of feature was an absolute bingo. With its breathtaking view of the city, the pool is located on an elevated platform, accesed by six wooden stairs (the designer’s concept of using wood material is also transferred to this level).

By laying approximately in the middle of the platform, the swimming pool is surrounded with two half-rounded sundecks, both containing different types of seatings. Next to a wall for movie projections, one side of those sundecks has a contemporary-designed pergola, which gives a special note of impression. Last but not least, the whole terrace is professionally and carefully equipped with landscape lighting, which gives a unique spirit to the space (particularly at evenings). With the same type of vegetation as on the third floor, the designer’s brilliant imagination came to reality with this roof-level pool terrace.

The Outer Edges

The aforementioned landscape mounds and “grassy hills“ were not just implemented on the inner side of the fence. What gives this project an additional virtue of uniqueness is forming a vegetation belt outside the floor’s edges. Replicating the natural shapes and holding the native plants, these outer edges definitely support the natural landscape look. Combining all of these elements and a view on the Boston’s land from above, One Canal offers a perfect place for condominium living.

For the Copley Wolff Design Group this certainly is a great success. Making a project for a high-density city is a challenge, but striving to do something out-of-the-ordinary is truly a venture. Projects like this should be praised, because they represent oases for the residents and inspirations for landcape architects. What do you think about One Canal? Tell us in the comments!

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Full Project Credits For One Canal :

Project Name: One Canal Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA Year Of Completion: 2016 Designers: Copley Wolff Design Group Size: 12-story Building/ 310 Apartments Client: Icon Architecture/trinity Financial Total Development Cost: $195 Million Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

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