Delightful Details

By Kyle Hoepner

Even after thirty-four years in Boston, I still never tire of simply walking the city’s streets, drinking in its fascinating melange of architectural styles. (Apparently this habit makes me look like a tourist; not infrequently a helpful soul will stop to ask if I need directions.) On a recent afternoon stroll through the St. Botolph neighborhood, I was charmed once more by the area’s many manifestations of late-nineteenth-century fantasy—a sort of Victorian Mannerism, perhaps? Look carefully and you’ll discover a multitude of piquant details on every block, transforming the ranks of townhouses with touches of whimsy.

Sometimes I wonder: what might be the aspects of our architecture that will delight passers-by a century from now?