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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Water rites : a city stage for Boston

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis focuses on the design of a public theatre for the entire city of Boston, a "city stage." The intention is to explore through design the boundaries of an architectural setting for large scale performance art; one that could be enjoyed by the entire city at once. Further, the idea is to provide an architecture that supports the kinds of performance that might heighten not only the experience of what is conventionally known as "theatre", but would also transform our sense of scale in terms of the audience / performer relationship. In another sense, the theatre would serve as a focal point - a "public common" - in a harbor that has been sorely neglected. Today, Boston is in a rare position to reclaim its waterfront. Projects like the depression of the Central Artery and the harbor clean-up are opportunities to positively impact the waterfront environment. The "city stage" might serve as a beacon for the harbor and a place to enjoy what was once a forbidding edge.

Degree

thesis:*
Department dc:contributor.department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture
Grantor dc:publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
1990

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Mansfield, Timothy Denton
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Jan Wampler.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Language dc:language.iso
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68235
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/68235

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
MIT
Base URL
dspace.mit.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Mansfield, Timothy Denton. Water rites : a city stage for Boston. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/68235