▁ped est ri ans ▁below . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁the ▁American ▁Institute ▁of ▁Arch itect s ▁presented ▁the ▁firm ▁with ▁a ▁National ▁Honor ▁Award ▁for ▁the ▁building , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁con ferred ▁on ▁it ▁the ▁Tw enty - five ▁Year ▁Award . ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁tall est ▁building ▁in ▁Boston ▁and ▁New ▁England ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁street ▁address ▁is ▁ 2 0 0 ▁Clar end on ▁Street , ▁but ▁occup ants ▁use ▁both ▁" H an cock ▁Place " ▁and ▁" 2 0 0 ▁Clar end on ▁Street " ▁as ▁ma iling ▁addresses ▁for ▁offices ▁in ▁the ▁building . ▁John ▁Han cock ▁In sur ance ▁was ▁the ▁primary ▁ten ant ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁at ▁opening , ▁but ▁the ▁company ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁that ▁some ▁offices ▁would ▁re loc ate ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁building ▁at ▁ 6 0 1 ▁Congress ▁Street , ▁in ▁Fort ▁Point , ▁Boston . ▁ ▁The ▁tower ▁was ▁originally ▁named ▁for ▁the ▁ins urance ▁company ▁that ▁occupied ▁it . ▁The ▁ins urance ▁company , ▁in ▁turn , ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁John ▁Han cock , ▁whose ▁large ▁and ▁consp ic uous ▁signature ▁on ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁made ▁his ▁name ▁so ▁famous ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁that ▁a ▁col lo qu ial ism ▁for ▁a ▁signature ▁is ▁" a ▁John ▁Han cock ". ▁ ▁Architecture ▁Min imal ism ▁was ▁the ▁design ▁principle ▁behind ▁the ▁tower . ▁The ▁largest