Spring 2023
LA 494LI: Beloved Places: Imagining the West End Green Corridor in Boston
Designing publicly accessible green spaces in Boston’s West End can be a powerful way to restore community after decades of displacement due to urban renewal efforts in the late 20th century. BSLA seniors in Professor Carolina Aragón and Lecturer Kate Cholakis’ "Beloved Places" studio collaborated with the West End Civic Association, WOLA Landscape Architecture, and West End residents to prepare a design proposal for a "West End Green Corridor.” The West End Green Corridor initiative aims to create spaces of cultural memory and public gathering through a greenway connecting the West End with the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Charles River Esplanade.
One of the team's proposed green spaces was a plan to revitalize the "Greatest Neighborhood Park - This Side of Heaven's Gate." The park is home to a historical treasure – the last tenement building – but the surrounding area is heavily trafficked by vehicles, posing many challenges to pedestrians. Students shared their ideas for reviving the park with LARP alumnae at WOLA, who used their expertise to create a cohesive concept design proposal for grant applications.
