Around Boston

Urban Greenwork in the South End
Exhibit: May 16 through June 6
Preview: May 16, 5:00 to 8:00 pm
After-party: May 16, 10:00 pm to midnight
90 Wareham Street
Nearest public transportation: Union Park stop (silver line along Washington Street)

Transforming the blank brick wall at The 1850 (90 Wareham Street across from the pinkcomma gallery) during the AIA Convention will be "Parti Wall, Hanging Green" by Young Architects Boston Group. The temporary installation, a collaborative effort by Gound, Höweler + Yoon Architecture, LindOldhamOffice, Merge Architects, MOS, over, under, Single Speed Design, Studio Luz, UNI and Utile, consists of a planted structure five stories high that improves Boston's public space by transforming an underutilized parking lot and brick wall. Visit www.pinkcomma.com.

Boston dPARTY
May 16, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
Institute for Human-Centered Design, 200 Portland Street, Boston
Nearest public transportation: North Station (orange and green lines)

We're gathering local design nonprofits, community organizations and compatriots for a radical event. Come find out about nonprofit groups in and around Boston, see their work and meet the instigators. The party, which features DJ Yamin from Beats Not Bombs and free drinks, is open to all. RSVP to rsvp@d-party.org. The suggested donation is $2 at the door.

The After Party
May 16, 10:30 pm
the BAC, 951 Boylston Street, Boston
Nearest public transportation: Hynes Convention Center (green line)

Young professionals are invited to attend the After Party at the Boston Architectural College. This event begins after the Host City Celebration at the Boston Public Library (the BPL party ends at 10:30 pm) and goes until the early morning hours. Admission is free, but the event is 21+ (ID required).

2% Women of Color
Reception: May 16, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
May 10 through 17
The McCormick Gallery, Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street
Nearest public transportation: Hynes Station (green line B, C or D lines)

This exhibition and reception celebrates the design work of women of color. Norma Sklarek FAIA, the 2008 AIA Whitney Young Award recipient, was the first African-American woman to be licensed as an architect in 1954. This exhibition honors her contributions to the field of design and the design work of the generation of women who she inspired.

We the BAC
Opening reception: May 14, 6:00 to 10:00 pm
May 15, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
May 16 and 17, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
951 Boylston Street
Nearest public transportation: Hynes Station (green line B, C or D lines)

This juried exhibition showcases the work of Boston Architectural College alumni around the world.

AIA Connecticut Reception Honoring Former Presidents
May 15, 5:00 to 6:30 pm
Goulston & Storrs, 400 Atlantic Avenue
Nearest public transportation: South Station (red line)

AIA Connecticut honors its former presidents who have, through their vision and leadership, shaped our association into a vibrant, responsive organization representing architects throughout the state. RSVP by May 12 to 203-865-2195.

Works By and Homage to Fort Point's Artists and Creative Community
May 1 through19, open 24/7
The Artist Building, 300 Summer Street
Nearest public transportation: South Station (red line); South Station and World Trade Center Stations (silver line)

View a night projection of artists' work at the Artist Building and an outdoor installation of artist-designed and/or altered seating elements. The free exhibit is sponsored by Fort Point Arts Community and The Artist Building. Visit www.fortpointarts.org.

Open Studios Weekend
May 9, 4:00 to 7:00 pm
May 10 and 11, noon to 5:00 pm
249 A Street
Nearest public transportation: South Station (red line)
Free parking available in lots across from 249 A Street or adjacent to 205 A Street

Pick up a map and explore the studios of Fort Point! Eight buildings in this walkable neighborhood will be open to the public. Fort Point has long been recognized as New England's largest artist community. Meet artists and see where they work. Most artwork will be available for purchase, and featured works include photography, painting, ceramics, jewelry, print-making, sculpture, artists' books, wearables, video, animation, installation and more. The free event is sponsored by Fort Point Arts Community (FPAC).Visit www.fortpointarts.org.

Looking at Leaves: Photographs by Amanda Means
Exhibit opens May 9; 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge
Nearest public transportation: Harvard Square (red line)

New York photographer Amanda Means' dramatic black and white blow-ups are made by using the leaf itself as a photographic negative. The compelling images offer new ways to think about form and function. The exhbit is free with museum admission ($9, adults; $7, seniors and students; $6, children ages 3 to 18). Visit www.hmnh.harvard.edu.

Designing the Great Building of 20th-Century Boston: Kallmann, McKinnell and and Knowles' Drawings for Boston City Hall
Opening reception: May 15, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
May 15, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
May 16, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
May 17, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Watson Hall, Wentworth Institute of Technology, 550 Huntington Avenue
Nearest public transportation: Museum of Fine Arts stop (green line E train)

This exhibition of the 1962 competition-winning architectural drawings for Boston City Hall includes sketches, studies and presentation drawings from both rounds of the national design competition. The exhibition is co-sponsored by Historic New England, the Wentworth Institute of Technology and Docomomo—US/New England.

Windows on Fort Point: The Artist's Point Of View
May 10 through June 30, open 24/7
Summer Street and A Street and other neighborhood locations
Nearest public transportation: South Station (red line)

This outdoor public installation throughout the Fort Point Neighborhood showcases historical windows that have been salvaged from the neighborhood and transformed by artists into works of art.

ADPSR's 2008 Lewis Mumford Award Party
May 18, 6:00 to 10:00 pm
McCromick Gallery, Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street
Nearest public transportation: Hynes Auditorium (green line B, C or D trains)

This party celebrates the winners of the ADPSR's 2008 Mumford Awards: The League of Young Voters for peace; Mel King for development; and Nuestras Raices for environment. Refreshments are provided at this free event.

2008 Boston’s Best in the South End - D SCALE and ROCCA
May 15, 5:30 to 7:30 pm
D SCALE, 520 Harrison Avenue
Nearest public transportation: Washington Street and East Berkeley stop (silver line)

View 21st-century furniture design at D SCALE, awarded "2008 Best of the New" by The Boston Globe. AIA 2008 Convention attendees are invited for a glass of Prosecco and bites at Rocca. Admission is free with a registration badge.

Getting Around

Walking in Boston is easy and fun, and the more you walk, the better it is for you. Every hour of brisk walking can add two hours to your life. WalkBoston and the BSA have created a map showing routes and walking times (PDF) from the convention center to popular destinations around Boston; most destinations are no more than a 10-minute walk away and many are closer. You’ll be surprised how short the walks are from subway stops, commuter rail stations and major thoroughfares to all points of interest in Back Bay, Downtown, Waterfront and South Boston Seaport.

So much attention has been paid to the Big Dig over the past couple of decades that it’s easy to forget the real hero of Boston transportation: the T. Storied in song (“Charlie on the MTA”) and in history (it’s America’s first subway), the T — short for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority — offers subway, commuter rail, bus, trolley and boat service to the denizens of the Hub. Visit the T’s website at www.mbta.com to plan your trips around town and be sure to request an MBTA pass (known as a “Charlie Card") when you register for the convention.

WalkBoston City Routes Map (PDF - 1.5 MB)

AIA Guide to Boston Architecture

The third edition of the AIA Guide to Boston Architecture is hot off the press. Updated in by authors Michael and Susan Southworth, this guide to the design and construction of more than 500 Boston buildings is an extraordinary resource for tourists and everyone interested in Boston’s architectural history. To order a copy, visit www.architects.org/store — it is item #700.