In Boston, MA, one restaurant people set aside for special occasions is Top of the Hub, located on the 52nd floor of Prudential Tower. But until its most recent renovation, Top of the Hub was not in tip-top shape. The large crowds that came to enjoy the restaurant's buffet for special occasions such as Mother's and Father's Day, college graduations and the like took a toll on the finishes. Now, however, the restaurant has a separate banquet facility on the 50th floor of the tower, which also is the building's public skywalk, and is specifically designed to withstand the rigors of serving crowds.

Prudential Tower is the centerpiece of Prudential Center, an urban renewal project of the late 1950s. For years the tower stood in isolation until the recent developments of nearby Newbury and Boylston Streets with shopping boutiques and art galleries, Copley Plaza, Hynes Auditorium and three new hotels. Plus, the lower level of Prudential Tower now has a shopping arcade and pedestrian walkways, making the office building more appealing during non-business hours. This program of redesign, reconstruction and renewal has been underway for some 10 years.

The last renovation of Top of the Hub was in 1980 when the restaurant was 15 years old. Don Wudtke & Associates, San Francisco, CA, did the renovation then and was called on again for this most recent redesign. The project began five years ago with programming, lease negotiations and design format, and was completed in October 1995.

It was Wudtke's idea to convert the 20,000-square-foot skywalk level into a banquet facility with a new supporting kitchen and service facilities. Refinished and reengineered with lighting and sound systems, the banquet facility can accommodate business and special events of more than 500 people. A simple design and color palette places the emphasis on the views of Boston. When the banquet facilities are not being used, the floor continues to operate as a skywalk.

"For nine months, the 50th floor operated as a temporary restaurant so a complete renewal could take place on the 52nd floor without having to shut down," says Wudtke. "It also gave the restaurant's new chef a good opportunity to experiment with new dishes that could become part of the menu offered when the Top of the Hub reopened."

The design of the 52nd floor restaurant not only emphasizes the terrific views of Boston, but also creates a warm and comfortable dining atmosphere for patrons. A color palette of rich earthy tones soften the glare from the 25 large windows and enhances the nighttime views. Even the exterior window mullions were painted a deep red-brown to lessen the distraction of the mullions, which were previously unpainted aluminum.

A strong pattern of alternating horizontal bands of mahogany and maple wood wall paneling creates a sense of excitement on arrival. The design motif and its spectrum of textures, patterns and colors was inspired by the landscape, villages and cities of Tuscany in northern Italy. Deep clay colors and bright tiles are found in the historic as well as contemporary buildings of this region and are emulated in the hues and finishes of the paneling, carpet patterns and furnishings.

The floor finishes are a reflection of the overall color palette. The entry and dance areas are a dark green verde marble set in a classic pattern. The dining area carpet is a custom designed curvilinear pattern that resembles stained glass or the broken bits of a tile mosaic. The comfortable furnishings are geared for long, leisurely meals.

The bar and lounge area is a club-like gathering place with great views. The doors to the adjacent executive dining room open to enlarge the lounge area for the weekend nights when crowds can reach more than 600. The dining areas are flexible enough to accommodate parties of varying sizes, as well as twosomes or individual diners. Tables can be rearranged easily, says Wudtke, for groups of two, four or six who may all want a table next to the window.

The ceilings are raised as high as possible to achieve a feeling of loftiness and to expand the views. At the corners of the space, the ceilings soar to 20 feet. Here, a system of sails made of Spandex is both artwork and engineering.

"The sails are for acoustical sound attenuation and they do a fabulous job," says Wudtke. "But they also are works of art that provide chandelier-like light quality. At night, people can look up from the street below and see this beautiful glow."

The sails also act as a reminder of Boston's nautical heritage, and come down yearly for easy cleaning.

The artwork selected for Top of the Hub is an integral part of the overall design concept. The pieces are displayed in niches that are cut into the horizontal bands of wood wall paneling, similar to the wall openings in the cathedral towers of Sienna in northern Italy. The three-dimensional sculptures are made of ceramic, metal or papier mache and are suspended over mirrored surfaces that reflect Boston's skyline.

The lighting system accents the restaurant's rich materials, the sail, artwork and tabletops with an automatic dimming system that adjusts the light throughout the day.

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