Boston Flora

Tag: BAC

  • Thursday, June 18, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – The Green Alley at Boston Architectural College: Urban Solutions for the Future

    The “Green Alley” is the first project of the Boston Architectural College’s (BAC) Urban Sustainability Initiative created to highlight its academic initiatives in sustainable design and landscape architecture. BAC selected a team led by Halvorson Design to develop comprehensive plans for site sustainability improvements at its Back Bay campus and serve as a replicable model for the City of Boston and Back Bay. The initial phase involves Boston’s first sustainable public alley project, which redirects, collects and infiltrates stormwater runoff from adjacent rooftops through permeable paving surfaces. Ecological benefits include:

    – Localized filtering of pollutants
    – Infiltration of groundwater on site which helps Back Bay’s depleted groundwater table
    – Significantly reduces the first flush stormwater pollutants from entering the Charles River.
    – To date, the system has successfully infiltrated 100% of the stormwater on the site.

    This project includes stormwater monitoring equipment designed and coordinated by Linnean Solutions allowing the BAC to actively monitor the effectiveness and actual benefits of the system.

    This Ecological Landscape Alliance Tour takes place Thursday, June 18, from 10 – noon, and participants will learn about the Green Alley permitting and construction process from both the design team and BAC perspectives; the monitoring aspects including process, tools and challenges; and an overview of how the project contributes to the BAC’s LA program.

    Registration ($30) is limited.  See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/the-green-alley-at-boston-architectural-college-urban-solutions-for-the-future/#sthash.kKka7fql.dpuf

  • Thursday, April 23, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Spring Into Design: Celebrating Urban Sustainability

    The Boston Architectural College is at the forefront of educating forward-thinking designers who are invested in building sustainable urban neighborhoods. Join them on Thursday, April 23, from 6 – 9 at the Innovation and Design Building, 23 Drydock Avenue in Boston, for an extraordinary evening celebrating the work of the BAC and its community, in support of their mission of designing a sustainable future.

    The Spring Into Design benefit will be a lively reception-style event and will focus on the wide theme of Urban Sustainability and what that means for the community and the future of design practices. Guests will enjoy night-long entertainment by local musicians and a Food and Beverage Showcase, which will feature food and drinks from various local and sustainable restaurants, producers, and caterers. Individual tickets are $300, and may be purchased online at https://the-bac.thankyou4caring.org/pages/2015-gala-tickets.

  • Tuesday, April 7, 2:00 pm – Obento and Built Space: Japanese Boxed Lunch and Architecture

    You are invited to the McCormick Gallery at the Boston Architectural College on Tuesday, April 7 at 2 pm for a brief gallery talk accompanied by Japanese snacks and cherry blossom tea.  You will explore the exhibition Obento and Built Space: Japanese Boxed Lunch and Architecture.  The exhibition examines the material and social culture of bento boxes, while highlighting how bento boxes inspire architects and designers to think about the potential of emptiness, craft, portability, and sustainability.

    Using miniature environments that individuals carry with them as a touchstone for good design, the exhibition explores formal and experiential principles, which you will experience during your visit.  You will have the chance to learn about the story of one manufacturer of bento boxes and the art of making a carefully crafted boxed lunch in relation to the recipient, to the season, and to the maker’s intent.

    Like good architecture, bento boxes are ordered and arranged, set within the landscape of furoshiki (cloth that serves as both bag and placemat.)  The bento boxes on display at the BAC are from the collection of Debra Samuels, Japanese food specialist and cookbook author, and work of architects and artists Hiromi Fujii, Sou Fujimoto, KOKO Architecture + Design, Glenn Murcutt, Hiroshi Nakamura, Patkau Architects, and Aat + Makoto Yokomizo.

    The exhibit and programming are generously supported by the United States-Japan Foundation and the Boston Architectural College.  Please rsvp by emailing catalina.ianetta@the-bac.edu no later than Tuesday, March 31. Free of charge to the Back Bay community.

     

  • Wednesday, February 18, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm – Green City, Clean Waters: The Philadelphia Story

    Mark Focht is the First Deputy Commissioner for Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Immediate Past President for the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), and a fellow of the ASLA. He completed a Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University and received a Master in Landscape Architecture from the University of Massachusetts. He is a licensed landscape architect in the state of Pennsylvania.

    Focht will present his keynote address titled Green City, Clean Waters: The Philadelphia Story, in the Fishbowl of the Boston Architectural College, 320 Newbury Street, on Wednesday, February 18 from 5:30 – 7 The lecture will focus on the innovative and strategic green stormwater management practices of the City of Philadelphia. Join the BAC to hear about how Focht helped the city accomplish a revitalization and stewardship plan that has beneficially impacted the way urban communities handle stormwater. From Focht we will also hear about the important partnerships and public outreach that have contributed to the success of his leadership and Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters Plan.

    This lecture is sponsored by the student chapter of the ASLA. For more information email Olivia Fragale at sasla@the-bac.edu.

  • Friday, August 1, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm – Federal Reserve Bank Green Roof Tour

    The 18,000 sq ft. roof garden at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston was installed in 1976 and is considered one of the oldest, still original roof gardens in the country.

    The roof garden was designed by Robert Fager, ASLA who worked for the building architects, Hugh Stubbins & Associates. Frank W. Sellner was the landscape architect consultant for the project. He often told stories of interning for Beatrix Farrand and his work experience with Fletcher Steele!

    The garden is on the fourth floor, 90′ above the ground floor with sweeping views towards Boston Harbor and the Seaport District. The roof garden has many specimen trees. Organically grown edibles are incorporated into the seasonal plantings.

    The FRB property has over 200 trees and a 60′ roof top greenhouse all maintained by the Bank’s horticulture staff.  The street address is 600 Atlantic Avenue, and the cost of the tour is $15. Sponsored by The Landscape Institute at the Boston Architectural College, you may reserve a spot for the Friday, August 1 tour by emailing pce@the-bac.edu.