The New England Life: Design Review in Boston

The design review process surrounding Phillip Johnson’s proposal for the New England Life Insurance Company’s new headquarters in Boston’s Back Bay marks a transition. Under the administration of Mayor Kevin White, citizen input in the design review process had been achieved through the ad hoc use of citizen advisory committees. The committee appointed for the New England Life project worked hard to win modifications of Johnson’s design. It felt that it had met community concerns only to find itself caught in the middle of intense criticism from neighborhood interests and the Boston Society of Architects.