A shortlist of finalists for the ReGEN Boston International Housing Design Competition has been announced with Vancouver-based GBL Architects selected as one of four overall winners. Ten finalists were selected from over 85 entrants from 40 countries, and of these 10 finalists, four winners were chosen: GBL Architects from Vancouver, Canada; T38 Studio from Tijuana, Mexico; Fennick McCredie Architecture from Boston, USA; and the Northeastern University School of Architecture also from Boston, USA.
The Boston Society of Architects Housing Committee in partnership with the City of Boston sought innovative sustainable housing typologies to respond to a city’s need to house the continuing life cycles of its residents. In response to growing density in urban areas, cities will renovate and repurpose existing areas. The design competition stimulated a new round of planning, charged with harnessing growth and extending it to neighbourhoods that remain overlooked and undervalued.
GBL Architects proposed to redevelop an existing contaminated brownfield site along the Chelsea Creek in East Boston. The proposed development of the site serves as the first stage of a larger effort to connect the entire East Boston waterfront. As further industrial land is reclaimed, the incremental development could eventually create a continuous link around the waterfront. A sustainable mix of diverse housing typologies, residents, amenities and public space are physically connected through an interweaving network of boardwalks and open amenity spaces, enhancing the opportunity for social interaction and communal well-being.
A selection of finalist entries has been displayed at the ABX Architecture Boston Expo and the Boston Society of Architects.
For more information on the competition, please visit http://regenboston.com/images/PDF_website.pdf.