Guarded by Thermopylae

Back in March of last year, I was in the Government Center area looking to shoot some street scenes in the college-visiting-tourist high season. I noticed the light on the JFK Building and went over to shoot it. At the time, I’d forgotten that it was a federal building and taking images of the building would likely be frowned upon. Fortunately for me, however, I had this memo from the Department of Homeland Security stating that I was well within my rights to photograph the exterior of the building. After about a 10-minute wait during which time the officer who stopped me from shooting radioed in to make sure I wasn’t a terrorist let me continue shooting provided I didn’t shoot the interior of the building or any entering or exiting the building.

The John F. Kennedy Federal Building was designed by Walter Gropius and his firm The Architects Collaborative in 1961. Gropius designed the complex with the assistance of Boston architect Samuel Glaser. Construction was completed in 1966.