WO CITIE

Two cities with different issues, identities and planning priorities for the first time, their respective urban-design gurus brainstorm on why the two cities are connected by much more than a river.
BY PRATAAP PATROSE ASSOC. AIA AND J. ROGER BOOTHE AIA
The Charles River both links and divides. While tourists, commuters, and joggers move back and forth seamlessly, in more meaningful ways, the two separate cities of Boston and Cambridge operate as two different worlds. Locally, the perception is one of separate parts. The Peoples Republic of Cambridge is seen as a universe apart from Southie or Beacon Hill. And in the global quest to attract new companies and new talent, the two cities may need to compete with each other, while being perceived as one by the rest of the world. HOWCANWEEMBRACEOURROLEINTHEGLOBAL ECONOMY? The world is rapidly shifting from a top-down corporate culture to a youth-driven culture of ideas; the cities of Boston and Cambridge are an internationally recognized ideas hub. Stunning facts demonstrate the depth of this young, vibrant culture. In Boston, one in three residents is between the ages of 25 and 35, while Cambridge has a student population of 44,639 a reasonably sized city itself of whom approximately 20% come from abroad. Combined, we have the highest number of creative professionals per capita anywhere. We are one region made up of complementary parts. This is essential to maintaining and strengthening our leading role in the New World Order of Ideas.
Prataap Patrose
ASSOC. AIA isthe

directorofurban designattheBoston Redevelopment Authority. J. Roger Boothe AIA isthedirectorof urbandesignat theCambridge Community Development Department. SketchesbyPrataap Patrose.Moresketches andstatisticsand befoundatwww. architectureboston.com

ACTIVITY PULSE Daily life activities shopping, museums, dining ignore municipal boundaries.

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ArchitectureBoston

ONE FUTURE

CLUSTERS OF INFLUENCE Many neighborhoods such as Longwood or Kendall Square are part of a global network in which the dividing line of the Charles loses its significance.

HOWDOWECOMPLEMENTEACHOTHER? Cambridge and Boston, alone or combined, have enviable clusters of innovation: The Longwood Medical Area to Kendall Square or MIT to the Seaport Innovation District all attract the best of 21st-century investment and talent. This is further augmented by our extremely diverse population. Neighborhoods from Beacon Hill to Harvard Square or East Cambridge to Hyde Park offer a vast array of lifestyle choices and are complemented by centers of art and culture such as the BSO, the ICA, Harvards Fogg Art Museum, and MITs Media Lab. Both cities have been consistently voted most walkable by major magazines and indexes. In short, we are an array of world-class institutions and neighborhoods that provides a rich network of urban options and opportunities. All this is set in a dense, sustainable, easily accessible compact landmass that is well suited to keep us a global model for complementary economic and urban development. Our assets are larger than the sum of the parts. The challenge, then, is less about changing our urban setting and more about changing perceptions. Architects and planners are at the forefront of influencing public perception through the facts and stories we choose to highlight and the ideas we reinforce through design. In our medical and educational clusters, we build to complement one another; in our physical connections and bridges, we repair and reinforce how mindful we are of the skylines and street views; and, in the physical and symbolic lanes of innovation, from bike lanes to the Innovation Express, we connect. A healthy rivalry is part of what makes both cities richer, by increasing our depth of options for those who want to explore, invest, play, and live here. Architects and urban designers are in the business of visualizing alternative futures in which the parts and whole can be seen as different yet complementary. The design qualities of the Boston region reflect our New England culture: Our history is one of different villages growing together into an intricate urban web, featuring diverse New England squares and commons as uniquely defined, livable centers. We are all enriched by respecting these special spatial qualities, even as we welcome excellent new architecture, expand our extensive network of open spaces, and increase the density of our urban centers. Architects can serve as curators and spokespeople for this concept of different yet complementary when designing buildings, streets, open spaces, and whole new districts that define and connect the complex urban fabric joined by the Charles River. Where could we be working to strengthen the perception of the Boston/Cambridge region as a whole?
Spring2012
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CAMBRIDGE
OUR OPEN-SPACE SYSTEM: The Charles River Basin has long been the defining public open space for our region, and the New Charles River Basin will extend that space to the harbor. For decades, the parks along the Charles have been disconnected from the public spaces of Boston Harbor, separated by dams, highways, railroad tracks, and other urban infrastructure. A design process, with representatives from Boston, Cambridge, and the Commonwealth, is transforming this Lost Half-Mile into a place for people. Recent successes include the addition of 40 acres of new parkland connecting miles of newly accessible river frontage from the Charles River Basin to Boston Harbor. More coordinated work is on the way. Where is the next lost mile for us to tackle together? OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM: Cambridge and Boston are linked together by a limited number of older bridges along the Charles. The ongoing bridge-repair planning process, which engages all users, is nearing a successful conclusion. Well-designed construction that meets the needs of all modes of travel is underway. What might be new modes and points of connection across the river? OUR COMMON WATERFRONT: The improvement in Charles River water quality in recent years is heartening and strengthens the draw of the river as a place for everyone. Yet more ways for people to access the water and more destinations along the waterfront need to be made. Should there be a common vision for the river? OUR INSTITUTIONS: The strong, urban presence of our premier academic institutions along the Charles River and throughout our cities helps define our collective image. In the coming years, Harvard University, Boston University, and MIT are likely to be building new landmarks that will be visible across the river in both directions. The schools future physical changes need to have input from both sides of the Charles. How do our institutions relate across our shared waterfront? OUR ECONOMY: Whether a brilliant new idea is brought forth in the Seaport Innovation District or in Kendall Square, we all benefit. The growth of ideas defines our collective regional economy and enables us to compete in the global arena. Can we embed entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity into our urban fabric? THE WHOLE COMMUNITY: As we continue to grow and complement our differences, we should also continue to consciously expand on the narrative of what makes our shared story even more compelling in the new World of Ideas. Should a regular forum convene designers and nondesigners to focus on celebrating our differences? It is an exciting opportunity for the two of us to jointly share our critical views of our two cities, building on our complementary differences and assets. We invite you to continue this dialogue. We believe that together, as architects and planners, we can create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
EMPLOYMENT
Education

26%=28,000
Hospital/Healthcare

10%=10,866
Total Jobs

106,405
PEOPLE
Total Population

105,162
Students: 44,639 Population Density

26 people/acre
Foreign Born

27%=28,000
Education Population with bachelors degree or higher

73%
National average: 23% Housing Units

49,530
Bars/Restaurants

360
Hotel Rooms

3,100
LAND
Land Area

6.24 sq. miles

55% WATERFRONT CITIES For centuries, Cambridge and Boston have been increasing landmass, streamlining their shorelines, and growing towards each other.
Dedicated Open Space

8.5%
Miles of Bike Lanes

16 miles

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BOSTON

A CA S E STU DY:

TRANSFORMING THE "LOST HALF-MILE"

9% = 47, 630 22%=119,046 550,000

600,000
Students: 150,000

19.94 people/acre 27% = 168,000

Attheheartofthisprocesswasaclassiccase ofgettingalemonandmakinglemonade. Formorethanonehundredyears,the LostHalf-Milewassocalledforthelost opportunitytoconnecttheCharlesRiver BasinparkstotheBostonHarbor.Itwas notaplaceforpeople.Thatschanging. Wheretherehadbeenarustywarehouse district,therearenow40acresofnewparks, pedestrianpaths,twohousingtowers,theUS headquartersfortheinternationalEducation Firstcompany,andtheZakimBridge,with moreimprovementsandconnectionsyetto come.Howthisallcametopassisauseful casestudyforhowBostonandCambridge haveworkedtogether,lookingforandfinding commongroundtolinkthecommunities physicallyandvisually.

44%

272,481 1,970 18,400

bridge,lostinamazeofhighwayramps,into theiconicZakimBridge,nowsomemorably markingtheconfluenceoftheriverandthe harbor.Inaddition,marvelousnewparks, suchasNashuaStreetParkinBoston,Revere LandingParkinCharlestown,andNorthPoint ParkinCambridge,nowlinebothsidesof theriver.Asinusoidalbridgeisdesignedto snakethroughthiscomplexlandscapeand iscurrentlyunderconstruction,soontolink pedestriansandbicyclistsfromNorthPoint toRevereLanding.Moreisyettocome,as some$30millioninmitigationfundingisstill availabletohelprealizethepromiseofthe masterplan.

ABOVELEFT

Thislate-1970s photographshows thewarehouse districtknownas theLostHalf-Mile.

Thiscontemporary viewfromanew residentialtowerin Cambridgelooks overthesamearea, highlightingtwo decadesofchange thathavehelped bringCambridge andBostoncloser together.

49 sq. miles 50% 16% 50 miles

Inaddition,slightlywest,atthejunctionof Cambridge,Boston,andSomerville,sits the60-acreNorthPointdevelopment area.NorthPointwilleventuallyinclude BuryingtheCentralArterytheBigDig 23buildingscenteredaroundafive-acre hadanunfortunatesideeffectintheLostHalf centralcommon,connectedbyashared-use Mile.SchemeZaspaghettiofhighway paththatwillalsocompletethelinkfrom rampsthatweretoemergefromtheground theMinutemanbikewaytotheHarborwalk. astheArteryresurfacedwasproposedto Theprocessofcomingtoagreementabout linkthenewdowntowntunnelswiththehighwhatshouldhappenhere,designingthe waysontheothersideoftheCharlesRiver. variouselements,andgettingthembuilt ThecityofCambridge,alongwithothers, hasbeenextremelydynamic,sometimes broughtlawsuits,leadingtheCommonwealth contentious,andultimatelyquiteproductive. ofMassachusettstoformtheBridgeDesign Scoresofarchitects,landscapearchitects, ReviewCommitteeandtheNewCharlesRiver engineers,planners,governmentleaders, BasinCitizensActionCommittee,bothwith andcitizenshavetoiledinaseriesofforums representativesofBoston,Cambridge,and overdecadestohammeroutthesenew thebroadercommunity. places.Thisisjustonestoryofchangethat illustrateshowwecansuccessfullybuildon Thiscity-buildingendeavortransformed ourcommonurbanvaluesaswedesignand whatcouldhavebeenanordinaryhighway celebrateourdifferences.