Recognizing an outstanding influence on our built environment or our awareness of it.
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The individual, group, concept, or object (other than an architect or a building) has influenced significantly our built environment or our awareness of it. Prospective recipients might be a public agency, a public policy, or a private developer/user who encourages good design. Also eligible would be such diverse candidates as a publication or an outstanding education program.
The Murals of Underground at Ink Block Boston
Underground at Ink Block is the successful transformation of an 8-acre underpass located between Boston’s South End and South Boston neighborhoods into an active urban park, cultural attraction and parking amenity. Landscaped pedestrian boardwalks and bicycle paths along the Fort Point Channel create new connections between communities previously separated by highway infrastructure. Visitors enjoy amenities such as world-class street art, a dog park, curated retail, fitness, food and beverage experiences as well as a bike storage facility, 24-hour security, 175 commercial parking spots & more. Underground at Ink Block is centrally located steps away from Boston’s Downtown and easily accessible via public transit, just steps away from the Broadway T stop. Underground at Ink Block opened after five years of planning, permitting, design, construction and leasing led by MassDOT in cooperation with the community, City of Boston, Boston Planning & Development Agency and the Federal Highway Administration. Through a public bid process, National Development, developer of Ink Block, was selected and has entered in to a long-term lease as operator of the park. This park adds to the transformation of this area known as Ink Block, a seven building mixed-use community that has revitalized the New York Streets section of the South End.
Emerald Necklace Conservancy
The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a private, non-profit stewardship organization founded in 1997 to champion, protect, restore, and help maintain the Emerald Necklace—Boston’s largest and most iconic park system. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the Emerald Necklace comprises seven distinct parks spanning more than 1,100 acres of meadows, woodlands, waterways, and paths, created for all to explore, use, and enjoy.Serving more than one million residents and visitors each year, the Emerald Necklace parks offer a vital respite from the city, a key commuting connector, and a gathering place for diverse communities. The Conservancy is committed to preserving Olmsted’s historic legacy and ensuring that these treasured parks continue to serve the common good for generations to come.Governed by a board of directors, the Conservancy brings together representatives from both the private and public sectors to complement the longstanding efforts of its public partners: the Boston Parks & Recreation Department, Brookline Parks and Open Space, and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. In collaboration with these partners, a dedicated staff, and an ever-expanding network of volunteers, the Conservancy supports park maintenance and capital restoration projects, provides free cultural programming, visitor services, and environmental education, and promotes public access to these historic landscapes.
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