Woven City
An urban tapestry of movement
“Woven City” stitches together art, history, and community in an awe-inspiring, larger-that-life installation. Spanning 31 by 14 feet, the piece combines organic elements—maple for train tracks, oak for streets, and walnut for highways—with mirrored aluminum and acrylic paint. Its twisting forms echo Boston’s maps, with the Charles River shining at the center. Four smaller, folk-inspired paintings accompany the installation, highlighting Boston’s transit history—from horse-drawn carriages to the rumbling MBTA.
Industry & Client
Real Estate The Hamilton Company
Location
Allston, MA
Materials
Maple, oak, walnut, aluminium, acrylic paint
Services
Public art Consulting
WHAT WE CREATED
Feature installation
The Woven City installation is 31 feet by 14 feet, making it one of the largest indoor public artworks in Allston. The artwork creates a wonder-filled vision for how Boston’s transit systems and built environment—highways, train lines, streets, and the Charles River—overlap and connect in the urban landscape.
Paintings
In addition to the feature installation, we created four paintings featuring specific modes of transportation from Allston’s history, created in a folk-art style to bring a sense of place and a feeling of hominess. The four scenes include the following:
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The Allston Speedway Coach & Buggy. A reference to the horse-drawn carriages that once traveled through early Allston, and whose horses were trained on the site that the art now calls home.
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The Old A-Line Subway. A tribute to the now-defunct MBTA A-Line, which once served Packard’s Corner but was discontinued in 1969.
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The 97 Bus and Bus Lane. An iconic bus line that plays a crucial role in connecting Allston residents to Boston.
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The Packard’s Automobile. A nod to the rise of the automobile and Allston’s connection to the Packard Motor Car Company.
We transformed a modern—yet impersonal—space into a property highlight. The installation has become a wow-factor and a welcome home for tenants.
Context
Woven City is a public art installation located in the lobby of 55 Brighton Avenue, a mixed-use development in Allston, Boston. The artwork was commissioned by The Hamilton Company as part of their Packard Crossing mixed-use project, integrating public art into a bustling residential and commercial space. The installation had to remain aesthetically coherent with the entire building and connect with the specific history of the neighborhood.
This project began as a conversation about how to create a welcoming and desirable entry for a new community. What makes a sleek space feel warm and welcoming? What could make the existing neighborhood feel an instant sense of belonging?
Woven City, like many of Golob Art’s projects, involved a comprehensive approach that included research, design, material sourcing, art creation, installation, and community outreach.
The research and design phase involved a deep review of local history and context, assessments of how people interact with the site, and interviews with community members and knowledge experts. During this exploratory phase, the assessment was that the space felt impersonal and forgettable. It included lovely and thoughtful high-end finishes of wood, lighting, and furnishing—but it was missing the soul that makes a place a home. The space didn’t feel exciting and inviting—which can be a serious blocker in attracting and retaining tenants.
Process
Using technique, context, and a sense of play, we set out to address these issues. Although a vinyl application on a single wall was the original vision for the space prior to our engagement, we took a holistic view to assess how best to accomplish these goals. Our art response to the space was to create a highly impactful and polished “feature” artwork along with smaller, homier artwork along the sidewalls.
To find inspiration for the art, we looked to local history and existing themes for the space. Allston has a deep history as a transportation hub, evolving from an early 19th-century network of horse-drawn carriages to a major center for automobiles and public transit. The neighborhood's name itself comes from painter Washington Allston, but its urban development was shaped significantly by the convergence of roads, train tracks, and trolley lines. The Woven City installation reflects this layered history by visually mapping Boston’s transportation systems and celebrating the connections between people and place.
We also sought to bring in a sense of whimsy that would connect to the funky and vibrant Allston neighborhood. To add a human touch, special attention was paid to craft elements, such as a clear direction of the wood grain, custom inlay covers for the installation screws, and a handmade quality for the paintings.
The outside of our building is kind of unique looking...however, when you step inside of the lobby something was missing. It was just too sterile—Alex gave it the missing touch of uniqueness and transformed the lobby into a space that people can identify with.
Marco Bader
Project Executive, The Hamilton Construction Management Corporation
Outcome
Woven City is a testament to the power of public art in capturing history, fostering community identity, and making the built environment more engaging. Through material, aesthetic, and thematic elements, the public artwork complements the architecture of the space. By reinterpreting elements of Allston’s history, the artwork resonates with longtime residents and newcomers alike. Through a feature installation and four paintings steeped in craft and polish—duality that fit the neighborhood and space—a basic entry way was transformed into a warm, wonder-inspiring welcome.
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