Envisioning Allston

To help initiate the Allston community master planning process, Harvard has drafted the following vision statement, articulating the University’s general objectives and aspirations for the future of Allston Landing. Harvard hopes that this material will help stimulate discussion with community representatives and City officials that will eventually lead to a planning vision for the entire Allston community planning area, and one that is shared by all participants in the planning process.

Overview

To Harvard, the most significant aspect of Allston Community planning is the area known as Allston Landing North. It is here that Harvard envisions transforming the existing blighted and chaotic landscape into an entirely new urban, community and campus environment. The University’s vision for the future of Allston Landing is fundamentally different from that which exists today. Where hundreds of trucks now blight the edge of Western Avenue, Harvard sees an active and animated urban boulevard. Where a sea of broken pavement now extends across the area, the University envisions a network of campus green space composed of trees, grass and pathways. Where today the local neighborhood is confronted with industrial activities incompatible with residential quality of life, Harvard imagines a neighborhood fabric rewoven with new housing. And where old warehouses and open lots now send a message of underutilization and disinvestment, Harvard envisions an entirely new academic precinct.

First Thoughts from the Allston Planning Team

This document summarizes the work of the four academic task forces and conversations held with members of the University community in a variety of forums over the past few months. It articulates general objectives in three areas that will be important in informing planning for Allston:

Harvard’s academic needs as an educational institution,
Harvard’s aspirations with regard to the goal of a shared experience of community as part of the Allston neighborhood, and
Harvard’s priorities regarding the physical development of its assets in Allston.

»First Thoughts document (PDF, 143Kb)

An Open and Varied Environment

Rather than creating an insular and homogeneous academic environment in Allston, the University seeks to develop a mix of complementary uses that foster a lively sense of urban community. Development will focus on academic uses, but will also include new housing, commercial establishments, cultural facilities and publicly accessible open space. Unlike more traditional collegiate settings that clearly delineate between campus and community zones, Harvard seeks to create an open relationship that integrates academic development with a range of civic, neighborhood and public functions. This development approach will ensure that in the future the University will remain an integral part of the Allston community.

»Download the complete document (Acrobat PDF, 1.0Mb)

The Green Campus Initiative: Sustainability Principles

The Harvard Green Campus Initiative is an interfaculty organization that works to address the real life challenges of achieving campus environmental sustainability within Harvard University.

Consistent with its mission to support staff, students and faculty at Harvard University to address campus sustainability through the management of building design, construction, renovation, procurement, landscape, energy, water, waste, emissions, transportation, human health and productivity, HCGI has adopted the following "Sustainability Principles".

Demonstrating institutional practices that promote sustainability, including measures to increase efficiency and use of renewable resources, and to decrease production of waste and hazardous materials, both in Harvard’s own operations and in those of its suppliers.
Promoting health, productivity and safety of the University community through design and maintenance of the built environment.
Enhancing the health of campus ecosystems and increasing the diversity of native species.
Developing planning tools to enable comparative analysis of sustainability implications and to support long-term economic, environmental and socially responsible decision-making.
Encouraging environmental inquiry and institutional learning throughout the University community.
Establishing indicators for sustainability that will enable monitoring reporting and continuous improvement.

»Download the complete document (Acrobat PDF)