Helen Bae

Helen Bae

Copley Place and Prudential Center are different in many ways, both commercially – Copley is more upscale on average – and aesthetically. Even within Prudential, there were differences: Boylston Arcade was predominantly white in appearance due to the white walls whereas Back Bay Arcade was generally darker and incorporated dark red bricks in the walls; I wondered if Boylston Arcade was intentionally “brighter” because of Microsoft and Tesla, which took up considerable real estate and traditionally have storefronts that are white. Interesting to note was the slanted ceiling of Back Bay Arcade – it was almost as if it served to guide the patron around the corner. For perhaps logistical reasons, both the main entrances/exits of Copley and Prudential involve riding an escalator to reach the shops, which is a different experience than simply walking onto Newbury. Furthermore, security does not actively guard entrances but they patrol the mall and presumably remove those who are disturbing others. In Prudential, there are benches but no other real sitting spaces, especially as the food court has been closed due to renovations. Interestingly, I noticed that people on the walkways and benches frequently looked at each other, though fellow walkers did not tend to notice each other.

Newbury, on the other hand, is clearly a commercial space (elements such as hanging store signs, large glass windows, and mannequin displays are present), though there’s almost a residential vibe to the area, partly because a more inconspicuous part of it (i.e. higher floors, unmarked buildings) is actually residential. Situationally, Newbury is the divider between residential and commercial: one block over consists almost entirely of apartments (Gloucester St., etc.), but the opposite block over is commercial, including restaurants, businesses, and Prudential; it’s important to note that Newbury itself continues on until it ends at the edge of Boston Common.