The Arboretum's Entrance Equity Project is seeking to reimagine five critical entrances along its 34,000 linear feet of perimeter that divides the Arnold Arboretum grounds from the urban edge across gates, walls, fences, and openings that border diverse communities.
Practice Landscape drafted the RFP in close collaboration with a team from the Arnold Arboretum, by hosting interviews, site analysis and archival research in order to give potential design teams a wide array of materials and perspectives.
The urgency of design emerges from a recognition that the Arnold Arboretum plays a critical role for public health and wellbeing as the benefits of spending time outdoors has proven physical cognitive, and emotional benefits. The RFP emphasizes the importance of equitable design intention at entrances that border the incredibly diverse neighborhoods surrounding the Arboretum, which include residents with both the highest and lowest incomes in Boston. Context maps seek to drive this consideration forward, and gate plans seek to convey areas of focus for future design.
My responsibility in this RFP design was mapping at large and small scales to communicate the context of the Arboretum within the City of Boston, the Emerald Necklace, and each gate in their neighborhood contexts.