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One Exeter Place, located at Boylston & Exeter Streets, was
at one time popularly nicknamed the Darth Vader Building. It is an
attractive office building in the Back Bay. The structure is much
taller than the surrounding buildings, is not constructed of red brick or
brown sandstone which is prevalent in the neighborhood, and has a high
mansard roof, all of which contributed to giving it such an imposing
nickname.
The 15-story building was constructed in 1984, and was designed by Jung-Brannen
Associates. The site was formerly occupied by a drab parking lot. About 211,000
square feet of office space was actually produced from this small site, at a
cost of $30 million dollars. The building has a beautiful marble
lobby.
A Boston Preservationist once commented that the biggest drawback of the
building is that it disturbs the view of the [New] Old South Church's bell tower at the
other end of the block. This author concurs, and recalls many old photos of
Boylston Street with the Old South's [original] campanile being the most
distinctive and beautiful feature of the scene.
The least appealing nickname ever coined was Darthzilla, implying "Not Quite Darth Vader,
Not Quite Godzilla," as the building rears its head over all others
in the area. It was also noted that from
One Exeter Place you could see the entire Back Bay, but from many
places in the Back Bay you could see it.
The Darth Vader nickname is a bit unfair; it's just that
it is surrounded by older buildings, and is quite taller.
Darth Vader is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Boylston & Exeter Streets is just one block west of Copley Square,
which is considered the bustling center of the Back Bay District. The historic Boston Public Library
McKim
Building, Trinity Church,
Hancock Tower, and
Copley Place
Mall are located in Copley Square. Just west on Boylston Street are the
Prudential
Center Mall, and Hynes Convention Center
attractions. The Newbury Street
Shopping District is just one block north.
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