Hancock Place, known to Bostonians as the John Hancock Tower, is one of two neighboring towers near Copley Square, built by the John Hancock Insurance Company, now owned by Manulife Financial Corp. Completed in 1976 by architects I.M. Pei and Henry N. Cobb, rising 60 stories and 790 feet, the glass monolith tower claims the title: tallest building in New England (2005). In 1977, the AIA presented Cobb with a National Honor Award for the tower, following 5 years of construction problems. The building is notorious for its engineering flaws, including: a failed retaining wall that damaged utility lines, sidewalks and Trinity Church; 4'x11', 500 lb glass panels falling off of the building; and a late addition of a tuned mass damper and cross bracing to stop the sway of the tower in the wind. Though it had many problems along the way, the unique skyscraper has been added to the prestigious AIA 150 - America's Favorite Architecture list. Model created by Matt Brown, Mason Thrall, and Bruce Garner. #Back_Bay #Boston #Boston_Public_Library #Clarendon_Street #Copley_Square #Hancock_Place #Henry_Cobb #IM_Pei #John_Hancock #MA #Massachusetts #New_England #Skyscraper #St_James_Avenue #Stuart_Street #Tower #Trinity_Church #Trinity_Place
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