Lincoln Street Garage is an exploration in the urban context. The original building was a parking garage both shaped and programmed by the burgeoning car culture of Boston. Its arced plan perfectly described the curve of the on-ramp to the interstate. Built during the construction of the “Skyway” (Boston’s elevated highway, now underground, by the Big Dig initiative) the original two-story structure was proudly utilitarian. It used the thinnest steel stick members and a parsimonious section to accommodate the parking ramps and stairs. The enclosed office space was added to the top deck in 1973. Our charge was to re-examine the cladding, upgrade the mechanical systems, and provide code upgrades. Lincoln Street Garage is a building within a city, and a program within a building. We examined what we considered the most important views: the narrow view up from Chinatown between the densely packed brick warehouses, the view along Lincoln Street to consider the location and articulation of the entrance, and the building’s presence on Surface Road. The taller parapet matches the cornice line of neighboring buildings. The question was how to assert a presence from these three perspectives in a clear, yet contextual way, using new materials and a more articulated vocabulary. By selectively adding and subtracting the skin around the steel skeleton, and designing two separate cladding systems, we could play off ideas of enclosure, screen, and volume. The interplay between skin and screen, frame and volume, allows the building to celebrate its utilitarian heritage while supporting a contemporary hybrid.