Building Better Boston: Picking Up Where You Left Off In School

Course Description

This course explores community-centered design interventions in underserved Boston neighborhoods. Through a series of case studies in Mattapan, Roxbury, and East Boston, Justin Brazier's practice demonstrates how small-scale architectural interventions can address social determinants of health, promote community safety, and create vibrant public spaces that reflect neighborhood identity and meet local needs.

The course examines how architects can effectively collaborate with community stakeholders to transform vacant lots, underutilized buildings, and neglected public spaces into assets that encourage physical activity, improve food access, and foster social connections. Participants will learn practical strategies for phased implementation that builds community ownership, material innovation that considers environmental impact, and design approaches that prioritize public health and wellbeing in historically marginalized communities.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify architectural elements that can transform underutilized urban spaces into community assets that promote healthy social environments.

2. Compare and contrast architectural elements that promote and challenge healthy social environments and community wellbeing in the public realm.

3. Explain how phased implementation of community projects can build neighborhood buy-in and create a sense of ownership that contributes to project longevity and maintenance.

4. Develop architectural interventions that create safe spaces for community members of all ages to gather, learn, and engage with their neighborhood environment.

5. Understand the values brought to design through active listening in the community being served.