{"product_id":"concrete-changes-architecture-politics-and-the-design-of-boston-city-hall-9781625343574","title":"Concrete Changes: Architecture, Politics, and the Design of Boston City Hall","description":"From the 1950s to the end of the twentieth century, Boston transformed from a city in freefall into a thriving metropolis, as modern glass skyscrapers sprouted up in the midst of iconic brick rowhouses. After decades of corruption and graft, a new generation of politicians swept into office, seeking to revitalize Boston through large-scale urban renewal projects. The most important of these was a new city hall, which they hoped would project a bold vision of civic participation. The massive Brutalist building that was unveiled in 1962 stands apart-emblematic of the city's rebirth through avant-garde design. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e And yet Boston City Hall frequently ranks among the country's ugliest buildings. \u003ci\u003eConcrete Changes\u003c\/i\u003e seeks to answer a common question for contemporary viewers: How did this happen? In a lively narrative filled with big personalities and newspaper accounts, Brian M. Sirman argues that this structure is more than a symbol of Boston's modernization; it acted as a catalyst for political, social, and economic change.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Massachusetts Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/16\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781625343574\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.85lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.80d","brand":"Brian Sirman","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":36662806347932,"sku":"9781625343574","price":22.06,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_6f5093ff-bf4e-4b31-b451-c8479f05b531.jpg?v=1603902752","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/concrete-changes-architecture-politics-and-the-design-of-boston-city-hall-9781625343574","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}