Enterprise Research Campus

Building on Boston’s legacy of interconnected parks and linear landscapes, the greenway within the Enterprise Research Campus (ERC) creates an expansive public realm and connects local communities toward the Charles River. Envisioned as an active and urban hub, the first phase of the ERC landscape will host a range of flexible pedestrian and cyclist-friendly spaces and connect back to a series of existing and proposed greenway ‘rooms.’ The greenway anchors the first phase of the ERC’s mixed-use development near Harvard’s expanding Allston Campus, which includes residential areas, office and lab space, a hotel, a conference center, and restaurant and retail locations.

At the core of the site, a central plaza is designed to host farmer’s markets and seasonal events and is shaped by an undulating rock outcropping made of reclaimed stone from the site, known as the ‘squiggle.’ A welcoming oak grove provides shade and shelter for community picnics and performances and filters views toward an interactive water feature designed to evoke the former tidelands of the Charles River. A planted rain garden stores and treats water runoff from the site and buildings and hosts an immersive ‘bio-classroom,’ creating space for outdoor learning and families. The project prioritizes biodiversity and climate resilience and introduces over 75 native species of plants.

SCAPE’s work throughout the ERC also includes open space surrounding multiple buildings and on-structure landscapes; multi-modal streetscapes incorporating stormwater management infrastructure; and a Laneway connecting Western Avenue to the greenway. The collective public realm at the ERC will ultimately be a community destination and anchor for nearby residents and stakeholders as well as faculty, staff, students, and visitors alike—a vibrant, walkable, and flexible commons.