Abstract:

"Man needs an orderly environment in which life is enjoyable and stimulating. To merely supply a level of physical comfort and fulfill minimal functional demands is not enough. The environment should provide a continuing aesthetic experience and foster a community spirit which is an integral part of daily living."
José Luis Sert

Since the 1970’s, Boston has developed a model of participation that has changed the shape of the city. In the beginning, Community Development Corporations (CDCs) reactively opposed Federal sponsored Urban Renewal that destroyed entire Boston neighborhoods, including traditional communities and historic environments. Latter on, they discovered the potential to participate proactively in the local planning processes by creating and maintaining affordable housing, while shaping the public space. The Housing & Community Design Studio at Wentworth takes advantage of it location in Boston’s and learns from the CDC experience to teach students the forces that shape a city while helping communities to envision their neighborhood in terms of urban design, housing and sustainable landscape.
The course introduces a wide range of approaches to analyze the urban environment, starting by the physical components: topography, urban fabric, open space and the buildings structure; followed by the study of the social, demographic, economic, cultural, and political forces that shape the form of the city. At the same time, the students participate in forums, study the zoning and regulations and propose architectural projects at different scales, from urban design, to mixed-use building, to the housing unit. The aim is to demonstrate that the city can be a laboratory where architecture is the bridge between the physical form and the social life.
This paper will discuss the participation of 5 studios with five communities in the last 5 years: Fenway, Allston, Roslingdale, South Boston and Roxbury. The most remarkable findings come from the interaction of the community and the students, as they work together in different meetings and presentations. Furthermore, for the students the community act as real clients and for the community, the studio expresses their voice though beautiful renders and three-dimensional models. The paper points out the importance of collective engagement and teamwork to analyze our society and participate in its transformation.

Keywords:

Urban Renewal, Community Development Corporations.