Peter Bearse

Peter Bearse

In these sketches, I compared the area of Newbury Street with the area of Copley Square and the Prudential Center, focusing on the usage of space and materials in each location and how those particular usages affected each environment differently. Walking through Newbury Street felt similar to walking through a residential, village-like neighborhood. More than anything else, the space achieved great uniformity throughout its layout; the buildings were all evenly spaced and made of red brick, and hardly would have been distinguishable as commercial shops without the modest signage on the structures. Natural elements such as trees and plants were smoothly transitioned throughout the pavement walkways, and casual outdoor dining areas were present along the walkways. I attempted to represent this leisurely, uniform design of Newbury Street with the symmetrical and uncongested style of my sketch.

The shopping mall, however, resembled more of an opulent mansion than a casual, residential setting. Upon entering, the smooth marble composition of the architecture and the presence of flowing water, brush, and other natural elements immediately set a rich and vibrant tone. The space contained seemingly endless twists and turns, with each pathway bombarded by glamorous, attention-grabbing advertisements for various shops and restaurants. The space also created a peculiar combination of flashy interior design and natural, earthy landscape – Copley Place had a large waterfall on its third floor, and the Prudential Center had a small park in its midst. I attempted to represent the busy and multifaceted design of the malls with the colorful, packed, and distracting style of my sketch.