ResilienCity: Boston's Innovation District 2035
ResilienCity seeks to set the vision for the future of Boston’s Innovation District, a new neighborhood built on greyfield and brownfield sites that will provide residences and workplaces for over 300,000 people. We have reached the tipping point where we need to think of the whole, not the self. We have arrived at a time when we need to stop behaving selfishly and begin to explore how we can all come together as a community to create environments that are culturally enriching, healthier, and equitable. We come back to nature to do this.
Help our friends at Architecture for Humanity by supporting the reconstruction in Japan
For those not used to working in disasters the first week is chaotic, filled with stories of heroism and despair. The first responders are not the charities but the families of those who are injured or missing. For those caught in this tragic situation, this is an overwhelming situation to be in.
It is also not the time for architects or urban planners to show up thinking they can start rebuilding. People are trying to find their loved ones and grieve not think about what their community will look like in 5, 10 or 15 years. For those of us who are part of the reconstruction effort, we need to think about immediate needs for shelter while planning for the next three to five years of rebuilding. See more...
map-lab launches non-profit: Urban Neighborhood Design Alliance
map-lab is thrilled to announce the launching of the Urban Neighborhood Design Alliance (UNDA), a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. UNDA encompasses educational programs originally supported through Historic Neighborhoods, such as City/Build and Just Around the Corner. UNDA embodies the spirit and expands upon the vision of Historic Neighborhoods through education, community planning & advocacy, and research.
The Boston area has a wealth of talented architects interested in education and giving back through not for profit organizations. UNDA hopes to work in conjunction with other local organizations as well as supplement current program offerings and build a community of people dedicated to and who believe in our mission. This also creates an outlet for like-minded professionals and students to become involved and participate as volunteers, sponsors, contributors, lecturers, or as donors.
Please visit the UNDA website for membership and sponsorship opportunities.
Victory Theatre :: Holyoke, MA
map-lab is providing planning services to the Massachusetts International Festival of the Arts (MIFA) who are currently planning to restore the Victory Theatre, a 1,600 seat Vaudeville style theatre that has been closed since 1979. map-lab has been working with MIFA to identify opportunities that the restored Victory Theatre will provide to the City of Holyoke. map-lab's comprehensive urban planning studies have researched physical and cultural assets with the goal of dovetailing the future restored theatre with the redevelopment plans for Holyoke. map-lab's primary focus in on an Arts and Innovation District which comprises a five block stretch through the middle of the urban center. In addition to the urban planning effort, map-lab has created a 3D animated model of the Victory Theatre for the use of the project team for fund raising efforts and to display the extent of restoration required for a project such as this.