Category: Framingham
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Jordan Marsh Department Store
Framingham, MA, 1951 by George L. Ely No modern building looms larger in the memories of Metro West than the original Shoppers’ World. The shadow it casts over not just Massachusetts but the national development scene is too large to be contained in only one building. So we wanted to take a deep dive into…
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Shoppers’ World
Framingham, MA, 1951 by Ketchum, Giná & Sharp Tell anyone in Massachusetts you live in Natick or Framingham and they’ll inevitably bring up the malls. Since the 1950s, the stretch between the two towns known as the Golden Triangle has attracted visitors from across the Commonwealth and beyond in search of convenience and comfort while…
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Paul F Barbieri Jr. Middle School
Framingham, MA 1973 by Drummey, Rosane, and Anderson In the early 1970s, Framingham was faced with a serious problem. Since World War II, the town had almost tripled in population and town facilities were struggling to keep up. To accommodate their growing population, the town authorized the construction of three new school buildings – Barbieri,…
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Abele Residence
Framingham, MA, 1941, by Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer Located on the shores of Framingham Reservoir 1, the Abele House sits as a rich representation of early 20th century modern home design. The building is sited to maximize views of the water with expansive windows facing south and west. Keen eyed viewers may recognize elements…
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Henry Whittemore Library
Framingham, MA 1963-1969 by Desmond and Lord In the 1960s, Framingham State saw unprecedented growth for what had begun as the first of the commonwealth’s public schools for teachers in 1839. The beginning of the decade saw the introduction of liberal arts degrees and masters programs as the school was renamed from Framingham State Teachers…
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Framingham Public Library
Framingham, MA, 1974-1979 by Huygens and tappé In the 1960s, Framingham realized its library system had a problem. Since its humble beginnings with the Edgell Public Library (now the Framingham History Center) built in 1876, the system had grown into a number of branch libraries scattered throughout the city with no unifying central location for…
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Metrowest Place
Framingham, MA, 1969 by Fletcher Thompson Spend any amount of time admiring modern architecture and you’re sure to notice that many iconic designs are coated in the iconic orange of the truck rental company UHaul. The company prides itself on buying underutilized, often oversized buildings and converting them into facilities for storage or truck pickup.…
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Joseph P. Keefe Regional Technical School
Framingham, MA, 1973, Ellerbe Associates The Joseph P. Keefe Technical School was designed for the South Middlesex Regional Vocational School district for students from of Framingham, Natick, Holliston, Hopkinton, and Ashland looking for an alternative to the traditional high school experience. The vocational model allows students to receive hands on training in specialized shops such…
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Marian Central High School
Framingham, MA, 1954-56, Whelan & Westman Marian High School’s monolithic facade towers over the small yard created by the building’s setbacks. The front features a series of vertically banded windows punched into the buff brick structure that forms a U shape around a rear courtyard. In order to get light into the garden level classrooms,…
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Framingham Centre Library
Framingham, MA, 1963 by Richmond & Goldberg While the current Framingham Historical Center is the more famous former Framingham library, this building was home to the central branch from its construction in 1963 until the current downtown branch was built in 1978. The large circular main reading room defines the facade, bowing out from the…