Boston Design Vision
Check out our Draft Design Vision Report and interactive Storymap and share your feedback with us!
Read the executive summary and full draft report compiled by the Planning Department in partnership with the community about our design values and principles. This work is the result of more than a year of public engagement in which staff heard from hundreds of Boston residents about what kinds of design make their communities feel like home. Share your feedback with us by November 29, 2024!
Executive Summary
English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese
Draft Design Vision
Boston Design Vision Draft Report
Storymap
Interactive Storymap
Public Meeting
Wednesday, November 13 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Office Hours
There are two ways you can share your feedback with us:
Every Bostonian should see themselves in the buildings and outdoor spaces that define our city.
The Boston design vision seeks to understand how buildings and outdoor spaces can better support Bostonians' sense of belonging and identity citywide.
The Planning Department’s Urban Design Division understands that a person's sense of self is influenced by the streets, buildings, and outdoor spaces in the City and their neighborhoods. This includes how the city looks, feels, supports movement, and how it builds community.
We are interested in learning how design can help shape the growth of our city to serve our people.
Understanding these physical characteristics for our city will support new ways in which we can support a sense of belonging for communities.
This will inform how future spaces are designed and communicate what is important for communities to thrive, and promote equitable growth and development.
Get Involved
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Show us your Boston. Share photos on social media of your favorite spaces with the tag #BostonDesignVision
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Spread the word! Share the design vision with your friends and family.
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Sign up to receive updates.
Process
Download the Boston Design Vision Timeline as a PDF
Creating the vision involves:
Learning from others through research, analysis, and community engagement
We looked into how Boston has been shaped over time, interviewed design experts, and researched peer cities.
We’ve framed questions: Which spaces do you use in multiple ways? How do you feel traveling through spaces? Where do you spend time with your communities? Where do you like the look and feel of spaces?
Defining Design Vision
We strive to understand what makes spaces welcoming, comfortable, and usable through public engagement, on-the-ground photo documentation, and understanding city making processes.
Roadmap/Next Steps
We are working towards understanding the physical and aesthetic elements of places and spaces, how to communicate it, recommendations to support the vision, and a pathway to achieve it.
Community Engagement
For a design vision to work well in Boston, it needs to come from and embrace the diversity of its communities. Community involvement is crucial to ensure the vision is fair and includes everyone. Our approach focuses on finding new ways to include as many voices as possible, especially those not heard, meeting people where they are, and making it enjoyable and simple to take part.
Upcoming Events
Wed
13
Nov
Design Vision Public Meeting
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LOCATION: Virtual Meeting
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Mon
18
Nov
Design Vision Office Hours
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LOCATION: Virtual Meeting
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Wed
20
Nov
Design Vision Office Hours
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LOCATION: Virtual Meeting
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Mon
25
Nov
Design Vision Office Hours
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LOCATION: Virtual Meeting
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Additional Resources
Past Events
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Thursday, November 2, 2023: Designing for a Diverse Boston Open House
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Monday, October 23, 2023: Designing for a Diverse Boston Open House
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Friday, October 20, 2023: Designing for a Diverse Boston Open House
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Saturday, August 19, 2023: Eastie Pride Day
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Saturday, August 19, 2023: Open Streets Allston Brighton
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Sunday, August 13, 2023: August Moon Festival
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Wednesday, August 9, 2023: East Boston Greenway
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Saturday, July 22, 2023: Boston While Black Family Reunion
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Tuesday, July 18, 2023: ADA Day
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Saturday, July 15, 2023: Open Streets Roxbury
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Sunday, June 25, 2023: Open Streets Jamaica Plain
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Saturday, June 24, 2023: BAMS Fest
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Friday, May 19, 2023: We are Boston Immigrant Summit
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Tuesday, May 4, 2023: Neighborhood Coffee Hour with Mayor - Roxbury
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Monday, May 3, 2023: Neighborhood Coffee Hour with Mayor - Roslindale
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Sunday, May 2, 2023: Neighborhood Coffee Hour with Mayor - Bay Village/Chinatown
The Community Advisory Board (CAB) is an important partner in inclusive planning and design. The Urban Design team will work with the CAB to create a plan that reflects what the community values and wants. This plan will guide us in bringing our design ideas to life in all neighborhoods.
The CAB is composed of 15 Bostonians that reflect the City’s diversity and different neighborhoods. Members represent a variety of voices and perspectives ranging from marginalized and/or communities of color, immigrant communities, community activists, homeowners/renters, organizers, artists, and more.
Name |
Community Participation |
Johane Alexis-Phanor |
Beyond Wordz, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, US Haitian Chamber of Commerce |
Eryn-Ashlei Bailey |
Jamaica Plain Centre/South Main Streets, SPARK Council |
Nia Beverly |
District 7 Advisory Council, Roxbury Path Forward, Roxbury United Neighborhoods, D7 Health, Environment Subcommittee |
Alice Brown |
Boston Harbor Now |
Jason Brown |
West Rox Bikes, West Roxbury Main Streets, Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale, Parkway Running Club |
James Cordero |
Boston Public Schools, Boston Teachers Union’s Housing Justice Committee, Reclaim Roxbury |
Mariellen S Dalton |
Eagle Hill Civic Association, Friends of East Boston Library |
Alison Frazee |
Boston Preservation Alliance, Legacy Fund for Boston, Roslindale Village Main Street |
Niara Hightower |
Boston Art Review |
Ted Landsmark (Honorary Chair) |
Northeastern University |
Allentza Michel |
Powerful Pathways, Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council, Fairmount Indigo Transit Coalition, Action for Regional Equity |
Jules Pieri |
The Grommet, Navy Yard Garden & Art |
Whitney Sands |
Allston Brighton Community Development Cooperative, Brighton Congregational Church, Harvard Business School Community Partner |
Hakim Sutherland |
Boys & Girls Club, ACE |
Additional Resources