Adjacent to Harvard’s Science and Engineering Complex and Business School, the development will transform an underutilized industrial site into an active mixed-use urban hub, home to laboratories, offices, and residential, hotel and conference spaces, designed to deepen partnerships between industry and research.
Located on the Boston side of the Charles River in Allston, the ERC will bring together various research disciplines in a new hub for creativity and innovation. Led by Henning Larsen and Studio Gang alongside landscape architect, SCAPE and local planner Utile, the plan envisions a dynamic urban landscape with diverse scales of streets and urban spaces, designed to enrich the pedestrian experience.
The innovation district is organized around a vibrant green corridor with bike and pedestrian pathways that seamlessly connects Allston to the Charles River for the public and university affiliates. From intimate sheltered spaces to large civic plazas for programming throughout the year, the Greenway sets up seamless links between the district’s new buildings.
The 14-acre district will include 900,000 ft2 of dynamic mixed-use program, featuring 263,000 ft2 residential, 440,000 ft2 labs/office, 196,500 ft2 hotel/conference. At the core of the design philosophy is a dedication to nurturing a diverse community, ensuring everyone feels a sense of inclusion and belonging.
This includes creating a welcoming environment for students, visitors, employees, and local residents. The ground floor is thoughtfully designed to activate the space, offering both indoor and outdoor social areas, local retail options, and a vibrant arts and culture platform.
“The design for ERC creates opportunities for essential intersections between academia and education, community, health, and social impact, as well as creativity and enterprise This has been a collaboration between project team and community to take this project from plan to architectural design which shapes the urban environment of Allston.” Daniel Baumann, Partner and Design Director, Henning Larsen
Supporting the project’s commitment to sustainability, a network of green spaces, shaded by a robust tree canopy, offer a refreshing microclimate that helps reduce cooling, especially during Boston’s hot summers. While in winter the stepped massing of the taller buildings allows sunlight to penetrate the ground plane, minimizing energy demand.
Biodiverse vegetation aims to revitalize the former industrial land, providing habitat for migratory birds and enhancing the city’s air quality. Bio-swales and retention tanks integrated into streetscapes and public open space capture rainwater for irrigation. One Milestone East, a 234,000 ft2 life science building, designed by Henning Larsen, anchors the southeastern point of the Greenway. ERC is set to be completed by 2026. Source by Henning Larsen and Studio Gang.
- Location: Allston, Boston, USA
- Architect (One Milestone East Lab): Henning Larsen
- Master planning: Henning Larse and Studio Gang
- Landscape: SCAPE
- Urban Planner: Utile
- Architect of Record (One Milestone East Lab): Arrowstreet
- Client: Tishman Speyer, Harvard Allston Land Company
- Phase A site area: 5.7ha / 14 acres
- Phase A GFA: 84,000 m2 / 900,000 sq ft
- Expected completion date: 2026
- Images: Courtesy of Henning Larsen
