Transcript of an interview conducted during a walk through the Back Bay section of Boston, Massachusetts.  The interview was conducted as part of a research project investigating the individual’s perception of the urban landscape

Lynch, Kevin (American, 1918-1984), researcher

English

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         Mr. Chopra           Street Interview   There is the Otis Clapp clock. Don’t they have any sort of covering for this bookstall ? Right now I’m noticing this steamship window, its sort of recessed back slightly for here. Its one huge piece of glass, the Cunard. And then the contrast of the antique shop. One is bright and gleaming and the other is old and musty. And this is very noticeable, the way this red brick wall comes out form the Mosler Safe Co. The common looks very bare, all the trees with no leaves at all except for a few evergreens in front of the church. They seem to be doing some face-lifting on the church. Neals, the window with all the mannequin, I think the mannequinare pretty good looking but the clothes are not.Then look at this contrast again with Neals which is new and this old building in between with Bradley (R.N. Bradley sign). And then again this shoe store which is new. This seems to be a little different from the other side in that most of the shops are new looking, at least the first level. There are a lot of sports cars in this parking lot. This is what I meant, all the stores being fairly new looking, well decorated: Stuarts and Daree and then Charles Sumners. I didn’t know they got any clothes from Jordan Marsh, theres the truck right there. And then this store again, this is very funny the way this all of a sudden breaks, it’s a very small doorway and that why it looks so funny. (Hurwitz and the doorway to the building just before it.) This is a contrast (Academy of Arts and Sciences) its got no glass like the other shops just before it and after it. There’s another church across the street. Frightfully cold isn’t it? and there’s another church. That waste paper basket is a bright color, it reminds me of a wasp, its yellow and black. There’s Bonwit Tellers its just like a building block. You know you have those children’s building blocks, you make red and grey and some apartments. Does anyone live in here? These waste paper baskets are quite different for the yellow ones we saw out in the street,I think. Its so hedged in over here. Buildings going up on both sides of this narrow alley. This lamp post is unusual. The shape of it on the top and the lamp shade is very antique looking in a way. Oh, I guess this is the parking lot again. Oh, it suddenly broadens out here, or at least gives the impression of widening out because the church is set back some. There’s another one of those lamp posts. (Cold?) Yes, quite. The common is so dead looking at this time of year. I wonder why there is no one skating on this pond. (What are you looking at?) Just this mound of dirt with rocks on it. You can see two of the churches from here, actually three of them.   

Mr. Chopra street interview

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Mr. Chopra street interview

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